Administrative Policies

Policies and Goals: The University of Central Arkansas, hereafter called the "University" or "UCA", acknowledges and supports the policy of the State of Arkansas to support equal opportunity, as well as economic development in every sector. The University of Central Arkansas recognizes that it is the purpose of Act 698 of 1991 to support to the fullest, all possible participation of firms owned and controlled by minority persons in all state funded programs and in the purchase of goods and services for the University. The University hereby commits to use minority businesses in contracting to the maximum extent feasible. An annual procurement goal of ten percent (10%) of business with minority businesses each year is hereby established. The University shall, within the limits of state statutes and regulations, pursue the award of a fair share of all contracts with minority businesses and shall encourage and assist minority businesses in the methods of doing business with the University.

Definitions:

1. "Advisory Council" or "council" means the Advisory Council to the Division of Minority Enterprise created under Arkansas Code 15-4-303;

2. "Division" means Minority Business Development Division of the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission;

3. "Director" means Director of the Minority Business Development Division of the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission;

4. "Exempt" and "non-exempt" means goods and services classified as either exempt or non-exempt for the purpose of administering this program as shall be determined by the Office of State Purchasing and the Division of Minority Business Development submitted to the Advisory Council for their review and consideration for the purpose of Act 698 of 1991;

5. "Minority" means a black citizen or black lawful permanent resident of the state of Arkansas;

6. "Procurement" means buying, purchasing, renting, leasing, otherwise acquiring any goods or services;

7. "State Agency" means all departments, offices, boards, commissions and institutions of the State, including the state-supported institutions of higher education;

8. "State Contract" means all types of state agreements, regardless of what they may be called, for the purchase of commodities and services not otherwise exempt;

9. "Agency Contract" means all types of agency agreements, regardless of what they may be called, for the purchase of commodities and services and for the disposal of surplus commodities and services not otherwise exempt.

The following is the plan the University of Central Arkansas will be using to implement the above policies and goal. This plan will be subject to change as regulations are promulgated by the various regulatory state agencies.

Minority Purchasing Plan:

1. A Minority Purchasing Program shall be established within the UCA Purchasing Department to administer the provisions of Act 698 of 1991.

2. A buyer within the UCA Purchasing Department will be designated to be the Minority Business Officer.

3. The UCA Purchasing Official will advise UCA departments of the minority purchasing program and encourage their participation to the fullest in assisting with meeting our goals.

4. The University has named Mr. Paul Totten as the coordinator for developing and administering the compliance plan and Ms. Cassandra McCuien as the Minority Business Officer for UCA.

5. The UCA Minority Business Office shall encourage and assist minority businesses to enroll on the minority vendor listing with the University.

6. UCA will maintain accurate and complete records regarding minority business procurement activity.

7. The Purchase Request/Order form currently being used by UCA will be revised to reflect, on the file copy, minority business data.

8. All requests for "small orders" will be reviewed by the Minority Business Officer to identify any goods or services that can be procured from a minority business prior to the processing of a Purchase Order.

9. When UCA obtains goods or services by utilizing the competitive bidding procedure, at least one of the three or more bids considered shall be solicited from a minority business if a minority business is identified which sells the type of commodity or service being procured.

10. The Minority Vendor List, provided by the Office of State Purchasing, will be converted to a listing by commodity and service to further assist UCA in identifying the vendor in each area.

11. The University will submit to the Division, the council and the Office of State Purchasing, within fifteen (15) days of the close of each six (6) month period, beginning with the period of July 1991, and ending with December 31, 1991, a report summing up total procurement for all contracts, except exempt contracts of the University awarded to minority businesses.

Comments and suggestions about Administrative Policies are appreciated.
Administrative Policy contents comments to: Susan Lilly, SusanL@uca.edu