Last update: 09/02/2008

Supplier diversity

Overview

General Administration manages certain centralized purchasing and contracting activities for state government. Our statutory responsibility is to leverage the state’s buying power for high-demand items and obtain the best value for the state’s taxpayers.

But GA’s master contracts represent only about 10% of the $8 billion the state spends for purchased goods and services each biennium. The rest – nearly $7.2 billion - consists of thousands of purchases made at the individual agency level. Many of these are potential opportunities for Washington’s diverse businesses to compete and win state business.

GA Helps Diverse Businesses Compete

Consistent with I-200 and other applicable state laws, GA promotes fair and equitable access to state contracting and purchasing opportunities by:

• Improving access and awareness of state contracting opportunities
• Easing barriers to participation by small and disadvantaged businesses
• Reducing the costs of doing business with the state
• Providing outreach, recruitment, and training opportunities for support of Washington businesses and workers

A key resource is Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system. WEBS eliminates the need for vendors to navigate numerous different registration and notification systems throughout state and local government. Through WEBS, vendors can register to do business with the state and can receive electronic notification of upcoming bid opportunities.

With the State Legislature’s enactment of HB 1439 in 2006, vendors will soon be able to submit their bids to the state electronically. This will further reduce the costs of doing business with government.

Links To Business Opportunities & Assistance

Within GA:

• Register as a Vendor – Register to do business with government on WEBS
• General Information – How to do business with GA
• Current Goods & Services Needs – Office of State Procurement
• Current Construction & Design Needs – Engineering & Architectural Services
• Small Works Roster – For Public Works Projects under $200,000
• Current Leasing & Space Needs – Real Estate Services
• GA Business Equity & Access Strategic Plan (in MS Word format)

In other State Agencies:

• Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises – Business Development Assistance, Certification
• Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development – Business Development Assistance, Training, Financing
• Department of Information Services – TechMall, Technology Acquisitions
• Department of Social and Health Services – DSHS Purchasing opportunities
• Department of Transportation – WSDOT Contracts and Information

Other Resources

• U.S. Small Business Administration – Business Assistance, Training
• Washington Small Business Development Center – Business Assistance, Training,

GA contact

• Servando Patlan, with GA’s Office of State Procurement: spatlan@ga.wa.gov
• Roland Orr, with GA’s Division of Engineering and Architectural Services: rorr@ga.wa.gov