Directory of Diverse Vendors
PRiSM Business Compliance Portal
We are pleased to provide you with our directory of diverse vendors who are currently registered as certified MBE, WBE, DBE or 8(a) firms.
By clicking this link, PPS Business Diversity Reporting Portal, you will have the ability to:
- Search for diverse owned businesses
- Register your business (diverse or non-diverse)
- Upload current proof of diversity certification
- Enter payments made to diverse owned subcontractors used to meet the EBE goal
Contact our office for upcoming training webinars on how to use this software system.
REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
We require that all vendors eligible to meet the Eligible Business Enterprise (EBE) goal have the appropriate certification status from a local, regional, or national issuing authority. The following is a list of common certifying organizations that can provide information on becoming certified or renewing your certification. The list is not comprehensive. If you are certified by another organization, we are happy to review your credentials.
To ensure that our procurement opportunities reach all eligible diverse business enterprises, we will request third-party certification by one or more of the following organizations and councils and require that vendors incorporate proof of this certification when submitting quotes, bids or proposals:
- Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC)
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (PAUCP)
- Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) only
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion, and Small Business Opportunities (BDISBO)
- Women’s Business Enterprise Center East (WBECEAST)
- Women's Business Enterprise National Enterprise Council (WBENC)
To be recognized as an Eligible Business Enterprise (EBE), a business must be certified by an acceptable third-party organization demonstrating that they are at least 51% unconditionally owned, managed and controlled by member(s) from one of the following groups:
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
- MBEs are for-profit business concerns led by one or more minority individuals. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Indian Americans classify as minorities.
- Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
- WBEs are for-profit business concerns led by one or more women/females.
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
- DBEs are for-profit small business concerns led by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific, Subcontinent Asian Indian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged. Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis.
- Must not have annual gross receipts over $22,410,000 in the previous three fiscal years
- Must have a personal net worth of less than $1.32 million dollars
- DBEs are for-profit small business concerns led by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific, Subcontinent Asian Indian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged. Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis.
For more information, please refer to the Certification Guide published by the MWDBE Governmental Committee: Certification Guide 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: Neither business diversity certification, nor registration as a diverse business, is required to compete for goods and services procured by the Pittsburgh Public Schools.