For Systemwide Review: Proposed Presidential Policy BFB-BUS-43 Purchases of Goods and Services; Supply Chain Management

The University of California Office of the President invites comments on a proposed revision to Presidential Policy UC-PS-20-0489-BUS-43 Purchases of Goods and Services; Supply Chain Management. The proposed revision is to include the Small Business First Program.

The Small Business (SB) First Program is designed to address the following:

Support existing policy for awarding 25% Economically and Socially Responsible (EaSR) spend annually to small and diverse owned businesses (see UC Sustainable Practices Policy)
Take advantage of California Public Contract Code Section 10508.5 that allows the University to award purchase agreements valued up to $250,000 to a certified small business without being competitively bid, so long as the UC obtains price quotations from two or more certified small businesses
Bring procurement practices further in line with the University’s overall mission and values
Strengthen the small business community, which is the engine of California’s economy, given that 99.8% of California’s businesses are small and employ 48.8% of California’s private workforce. For every $100 spent at a small business, approximately $68 stays in California
Prepare UC to lead the way in California’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. Statewide, as of November 25th 2020, the number of small businesses decreased by 30.7% compared to January. As the third largest employer in the State, UC supports 1 in 46 of all California jobs and contributes $32.8B annually to gross state product. Additional spend from UC could be the lifeline small businesses need to survive and thrive.

The SB First Program also includes the following:

Exclusions for UC Health as well as Design & Construction
Exemption for federally funded purchases

This policy applies to all persons at all UC San Diego locations.

Under the Regents’ Policy, campuses were directed to issue implementing rules for certain policy requirements. This proposed policy constitutes the implementing rules for the San Diego campus and is available for viewing here.

This is a formal review of the proposed Implementing Rules. If you have comments for submission in response to the policy review, please provide your written comments to Paula Johnson in Policy and Records Administration at pjjohnson@ucsd.edu no later than March 15, 2021.

Pradeep K. Khosla
Chancellor