Virginia Beach receives supplier diversity award

Published December 2, 2013 by Robert Powell, III

The City of Virginia Beach has received the Governor’s 2013 Supplier Diversity Award.

The award recognizes the city’s efforts to improve contracting for small businesses and those owned by women or minorities – known as SWaM businesses (small, women- and minority-owned). Virginia Beach won the award for SWaM innovation and best practices.

The award recognizes agencies that have made innovations or modifications to their SWaM programs that removed barriers, enhanced competitiveness or increased participation by SWaM businesses.

The Virginia Beach Minority Business Council is an advisory agency to the City Council and City Manager. It holds an annual expo to help SWaM businesses compete for government contracts, and provides information, guidance and programs to help business owners understand how to work with the city.

The City Council has set a goal of 10 percent of all city contracting for SWaM businesses. In the past year, 9.37 percent of all non-capital expenditures went to minority businesses.“