POLICY 1. This Policy reaffirms RCA's longstanding commitment to ensure that minority-owned businesses have an equal opportunity to compete for a fair and equitable portion of RCA's purchases. a. A minority business enterprise is a business enterprise b. These purchases include not only the materials and services 2. RCA Corporation, its divisions and subsidiary companies, will aggressively seek out minority owned business and as appropriate assist and counsel them in becoming qualified suppliers of goods and services. The use of minority owned businesses will be encouraged at all levels of RCA business activity where specific decisions are made regarding the purchase of goods and services. 3. 4. 5. Corporate Materials is responsible for overall direction and monitoring of the RCA Minority Business Enterprise Program in accordance with instructions in the RCA Purchasing Manual. Corporate Materials will coordinate this program with the Corporate Community Relations Program and the Government Relations Program. Each Major Operating Unit will actively promote the RCA Minority Business Enterprise Program among its executives, requisitioning functions and purchasing personnel. Each unit will develop and monitor goals and specific programs designed to increase purchases from minority businesses. Purchases under Government contracts will be handled in accordance with applicable government regulations and directives. 6. In coordinating the Minority Business Enterprise Program, a. b. c. d. With the assistance of the Major Operating Unit, develop guidelines, goals and action plans to meet Program objectives. Assist Major Operating Units in advancing this program, Revise program instructions to the RCA Purchasing Manual. Develop periodic reports on program performance for the IMPLEMENTATION 7. Each Major Operating Unit will: 8. a. Assign a Minority Business Enterprise Coordinator to b. C. d. Be guided by Purchasing Procedure C-12007 in the RCA Issue internal procedures, if required. Provide statistics and other information on program The Staff Vice President, Materials, will provide any In accordance with RCA Policy 22109, this instruction describes RCA's policy and procedure regarding purchases from minority business enterprises. A. DEFINITION C. A minority business enterprise is a business enterprise that is owned or controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged persons. Such disadvantages may arise from cultural, racial, chronic economic circumstances or background, or other similar causes. Such persons include, but are not limited to, Blacks, Orientals, Puerto Ricans, Spanish-speaking Americans, American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts. Minority business enterprises in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam qualify under this definition. GENERAL RCA will place a fair portion of its total purchases for all types of goods and services with qualified minority business enterprises. This portion of total purchases shall be that portion which a minority business can win in a competitive environment. These purchases include not only material and services normally purchased by the Purchasing activity but also include such services as required and contracted for by other activities. Each division or subsidiary Purchasing activity is responsible for gathering and reporting information regarding business transactions with minority businesses. PROCEDURE 1. Zach Major Operating Unit Purchasing activity will: a. b. Designate a liaison officer who shall administer the Aggressively seek out minority owned businesses and, as appropriate, assist and counsel them in becoming qualified suppliers of goods and services. REN Purchasing Manual C. d. 2. Assure that minority businesses have an equal opportunity to compete for subcontracts and purchase orders by arranging solicitations, interviews, bid preparation times, quantities, specifications, and delivery schedules to facilitate the participation of minority business enterprises. Maintain records showing internal procedures which have been adopted to comply with RCA Policy 22109 and this Instruction, including the establishment of a source-list of minority business enterprises. Complete in triplicate on a monthly basis the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Monthly Report Form RCA 2638 (Exhibit A attached) to furnish information regarding: (1) (2) (3) (4) Names and addresses of minority business enterprises with which purchase orders were placed during the month. The activity that placed the requirement (i.e. Purchasing for those items covered by a purchase order). A description of the material or service purchased. The number of orders placed and total dollar value of these orders for each vendor named, and the totals for the month. (5) Any other information pertinent to this Program including but not limited to specific efforts to identify, assist, counsel and award Purchase Orders to minority business enterprises. One copy of this report will be sent to the Corporate Minority Business Enterprise Coordinator. One copy will be included as part of each activity's Monthly Activity Report and an information copy will be retained by the Major Operating Unit Minority Business Liaison Officer. Corporate Staff Materials will, through its Minority Business a. Make minority businesses known to the Major Operating Units through periodic Minority Business Bulletins as well as other appropriate means of communications. b. C. d. Keep Corporate records of business placed with minority Interface with all agencies of the Government relative to Develop guidelines, goals and action plans to meet Program objectives with the assistance of the Major Operating Units. £. 9. Assist Major Operating Units in advancing this program, working with the Minority Business Enterprise Program Coordinator in each unit. Work with other RCA Staff activities as appropriate to assure coordination of the program with RCA's Community Relations and Government Relations Programs. Develop periodic reports on program performance for the information of RCA Executives and Major Operating Unit management, and the Purchasing community. RCA 1008 |