Procurement Services is pleased to offer resources to help University departments support small businesses and sustainable procurement.  Click on the links below to learn more about these initiatives.   Scroll down to the table to learn how to search for small business products and sustainable products in the UT Market Place.

Sustainability

UT’s Small Business Program

Business Classifications Recognized by the State of Tennessee

  • DSBE – Business owned by persons with disabilities
  • MBE – Minority-owned business enterprise
  • SBE – Small business enterprise
  • SDVBE – Service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprise
  • WBE – Women-owned business enterprise

Visit the Tennessee Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise’s website to learn more.

State Certifying Agencies

  • TN GoDBE – Tennessee Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise

GoDBE certifies Tennessee businesses that are small, minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, or owned by persons with disabilities.  This is the most important certification to UT because when we report our small and diversity business spend to the state, we are only allowed to report spend with GoDBE certified companies.  Currently, GoDBE certifications are the only certifications that we track and report.

  • Other States’ Certifying Agencies

Federal Certifying Agencies

  • SBA – U. S. Small Business Administration
  • Departments of Transportation, including TDOT and other transportation authorities in Tennessee (Uniform Certifying Program or “UCP”)

Independent Certifying Agencies

  • MMBC – Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum
  • NMBC – The National Minority Business Council, Inc.
  • NMSDC – National Minority Supplier Development Council
    • TSMSDC – Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council, regional affiliate of NMSDC serving Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia
  • WBENC – Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

 

 

Searching for Diversity-Supplied and Sustainable Products in the UT Market Place

Company NameCertified small or diversity-owned company?Diversity Certification(s)Catalog contains filters for diversity-supplied products?Instructions to search for diversity-supplied products.Catalog contains filters for sustainable products?Instructions to search for sustainable products.
Amazon BusinessNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions
Edwards Supply Co., Inc.YesTN GoDBE
WBENC
TSMSDC
N/AAll products are diversity-supplied.No
FastenalNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions
Fisher ScientificNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions
GraingerNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions
Graphic CreationsYesTN GoDBEN/AAll products are diversity-supplied.NoType "sustainable" in search box.
MSC Industrial Supply Co.NoNoYesInstructions
Scientific Sales Inc.YesTN GoDBE
WBENC
TSMSDC
N/AAll products are diversity-supplied.No
SHIYesTN GoDBE
WBENC
NMBC
N/AAll products are diversity-supplied.No
Sigma-Aldrich (Millipore Sigma)NoNoYesInstructions
Staples Business AdvantageNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions
Staples Promotional ProductsNoNoYesInstructions
VWRNoYesInstructionsYesInstructions