Historically Under-Utilized Business Outreach Program

The District will use its best efforts to insure that small, women-owned and minority businesses are informed of current and future purchasing activities. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize nor require expenditure of funds for goods and services apart from normal and statutory purchasing processes.

On November 1, 1994, the Plano Independent School District (the District) Board of Trustees passed the following policy, CHE (Local):

"The Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees supports a business outreach program which ensures that Plano Independent School District will promote and encourage the participation of minority-owned, women-owned, and small business in purchasing of all goods and services."
Whereas small, women-owned, and minority businesses represent a foundation of the American private enterprise system; and
Whereas it is in the best interest of the District to stimulate the growth of small, women-owned, and minority businesses; and
Whereas growth of such businesses can be encouraged through their full participation in all phases of the District procurement opportunities;
Therefore, the PISD Board of Trustees directs that the following action plan be implemented.

The awarded Proposer will be required to document a Good Faith Effort to secure small, women-owned, and minority businesses as subcontractors/sub-consultants. A report detailing the participation of these businesses will be submitted as part of project closeout.

The Good Faith Effort outlined below is for use by the District to help the District determine whether a Good Faith Effort was made by the vendor.

Good Faith Effort will be defined as:

1. Attendance at the pre-bid/pre-proposal conference, if any.
2. Efforts to follow up initial solicitation of interest by contacting small, woman-owned, and minority businesses to determine with certainty whether these businesses are interested.
3. Efforts made to identify portions of the work that can be performed by small, woman-owned, and minority businesses in order to increase participation. If possible this should include the breakdown of subcontracts into economically feasible units to facilitate participation.
4. Document each small, women-owned, and minority business contacted, indicating the inclusion or decision regarding inclusion and the reason for the decision.
5. Efforts that demonstrate that the contractor effectively used the services of available organizations, contractor's groups, local, state and federal small, women-owned, and minority business assistance offices and other organizations that provide assistance and placement of small, women-owned, and minority businesses.

Each firm responding to this request is required to submit the Business Enterprise form information regarding small, women-owned and minority business participation in this project.