Supply Chain Resilience Program And Registration Portal

FAQs

What is Supply Chain Resilience?

Supply chain resilience is the intentional use of underutilized businesses in an organization's supply chain to achieve innovation; cost reduction; and revenue growth objectives.

Why is Supply Chain Resilience important?

Community stakeholders want to know more about the non-profit organizations they support, and consumers want to know more about the corporate brands that they buy from. They see value in attracting untapped innovation as an important business strategy to:

1. Generate innovative products and services
2. Increase competition
3. Build economic growth in communities where they operate

What is the WCS Supply Chain Resilience Program?

WCS is committed to making supply chain resilience an integral part of the way we do business. We seek to identify and encourage underutilized vendors to compete for business opportunities throughout WCS. Our commitment to supply chain resilience includes:

1. Building relationships with underutilized suppliers in the communities where we operate.
2. Encouraging suppliers that are awarded contracts to extend business partnership opportunities to underutilized suppliers.
3. Promoting the different types of certifications to all businesses.

We promote the extended growth of our pool of suppliers through the following processes:

1. Identifying procurement opportunities.
2. Identifying underutilized suppliers in WCS's Supply Resilience Database (SCRD) to participate in upcoming procurement opportunities.
3. Determining whether a match exists between the capabilities of underutilized suppliers in the SCRD and an identified business opportunity.
4. Regularly conducting "How to do Business with WCS" workshops.
5. Encouraging identified suppliers to participate in WCS's procurement process.

What is a certified underutilized supplier?

A certified underutilized supplier can clearly demonstrate that their business is at least 51% owned, operated, and managed by a diverse person or group of members by presenting a certificate issued by an independent certifying government agency, quasi-government or non-governmental-organization (NGO). Independent government certifications typically certify entities as Minority/Women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs). For example, New York City offers NYC Small Business Services M/WBE Certification and separately New York State provides (NYS MWBE certification). The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey certifies vendors under its quasi-government MWBE program. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification can be obtained by Federal or State agencies for minorities or women-owned businesses, or other socially and economically disadvantaged individuals such as persons with disabilities.

In the private sector, various assist corporate brands by also certifying various businesses. Within this group, we acknowledge certifications from the following: National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Women's Business Enterprise National Council(WBENC), National LGBT Chamber of Commerce(NGLCC), United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCCC), National Veteran Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), Disability:In, the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce(USPAACC ), and United States Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Globally, underutilized certifications are issued to vendors by Minority Supplier Development China (MSD China), MSDUK, Supply Nation (Australia) and IWSCC (Cannda). WCS recognizes the underutilized certifications from all referenced entities.

Why does WCS value these certified suppliers?

WCS obtains funding from federal, state and local agencies, which often require the use of Minority-owned/Women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs). These certificates enable us to accurately show evidence that suppliers were vetted and verified. In addition, our supply chain resilience initiative demonstrates our commitment to our supply chain and tracking our progress.

Do suppliers need to be certified?

No. While certification is not required to do business with WCS, we encourage underutilized suppliers to become certified with any of the certification organizations.

What is the WCS Supply Chain Resilience Database (SCRD)?

WCS relies on the SCRD, its free newly-developed online business-to-business tool, to identify, distinguish, and utilize certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE); Disabled Veteran-owned Business Enterprise (DVBE); Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs); Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender-owned Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). This feature will aid us greatly in required reports to federal, state, and city agencies. Further, this system will facilitate strategic partnerships among certified underutilized vendors and existing prime vendors for capacity building and second-tier opportunities with underutilized subcontractors. Our online system allows us to engage with underutilized suppliers in a more efficient way. You can register here.

How does the WCS SCRD help underutilized suppliers potentially do business with each other?

Our Supplier Chain Resilience Program is designed to help underutilized vendors build capacity. When a registered underutilized supplier informs WCS of a potential contract opportunity for a specific product or service, WCS will facilitate the identification of other registered underutilized suppliers in our SCRD. However, these registered suppliers must provide WCS with consent before any other supplier can view its Company Profile. This is just one example of how SCRD facilitates capacity building.

How does my business get listed in the WCS SCRD?

You must first register your company's information in our database. You can register here.

Are there any fees?

No. There is no fee associated with being a registered supplier in the SCRD.

What information does the WCS SCRD collect?

Suppliers are not required to provide any individual's personal information when registering in the SCRD. The general information that SCRD requests include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Business contact information
2. Third-party certification information
3. Core business experience

Will my SCRD information be publicly available?

No. Once a supplier completes its SCRD registration, this information becomes the supplier's SCRD Company Profile. A registered supplier's SCRD Company Profile will be accessible to WCS personnel, and upon the supplier's consent in each case, to other SCRD-registered suppliers interested in partnering on a contract opportunity. No SCRD Company Profiles will be made publicly available and will only be shared as described in these FAQs.

How long does my information remain in the SCRD?

A registered supplier's Company Profile remains in the SCRD until the SCRD-registered supplier decides to terminate its participation in the SCRD (either upon the supplier's request to be removed from the SCRD or a supplier's failure to upload evidence of any required third-party certification by a set due date). Upon such termination of participation, the supplier's Company Profile will be removed from the SCRD.

Do any other terms and conditions apply to the SDD?

WCS's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply to all users of the SCRD.

Are there any disclaimers I should be aware of?

WCS does not endorse any supplier registered in the SCRD, nor has WCS taken any steps to verify any information submitted by a supplier in the SCRD registration phase. WCS's identification of a registered underutilized supplier for a requesting supplier is not a substitute for the requesting supplier's own due diligence process. Further, a supplier's registration in the SCRD does not guarantee a contract between the supplier and WCS or another supplier, or the payment of any amount to the supplier by WCS or another supplier.

What do I do if I have additional questions?

If you have any additional inquiries that were not listed here, you can reach out to scrprogram@wcs.org.