The award-winning Minority & Women-Owned Vendor Partnership Initiative (MVPI) at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) was established in 2014 to provide educational and networking opportunities to minority, disabled veteran, and women-owned businesses. In November 2023, The MPVI Committee voted to add Women to its name to honor women and their contributions to the development of this initiative over the years.

Adherence to the Law

The University of Central Arkansas honors Arkansas Act 1080 of 2017, entitled Minority & Women-Owned Business Economic Development Act, to include the participation of organizations owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, certified women-owned, and all other minority businesses in the purchase of goods and services. The law states that 15% of the total amount expended in state-funded and state-directed public construction programs and in purchasing goods and services for state agencies each fiscal year is paid to minority businesses. The percentage breakdown is as listed below:

Ten percent (10%) for minority business enterprises, with two percent (2%) allocated for service-disabled veteran-owned minority business enterprises and eight percent (8%) for all other minority business enterprises; and
Five percent (5%) of women-owned business enterprises

Learn more…

Current Initiative

Minority & Women Business Enterprise Certification Workshop
May 8, 2024 | 11 a.m. – 2: 30 p.m.
UCA Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center 111/113
Lunch will be provided
FREE Workshop – REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Program Description:

We have partnered with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise Division (AEDC) and Nabholz Construction to host a Minority and Women Business Enterprise Certification Workshop.

This program is designed to support ethnic minorities, service-disabled veterans, and women-owned businesses in completing the necessary steps toward business enterprise certification through AEDC. This half-day workshop will provide vendors with more information on conducting business with Nabholz and UCA and prepare businesses for certification. Join us on May 8th to learn ways to position your business for growth with more government and non-government contracts.

This event is sponsored by Nabholz Corporation.

REGISTER ONLINE

Important Program Details:

The time it takes to get certified is managed by the business owners and their ability to compile the necessary documents. To expedite the certification process, please read the MBE Certification and application process overview document below and begin gathering the necessary documents in preparation for the workshop on May 8th. The complete list of certification documents and other paperwork is outlined in the PDF. Learn more about the steps to complete certification HERE.

MWBE Certification Program Overview and Application

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Kristy Carter, MWVPI Chair, at kcarter@uca.edu or (501) 358-2868.

Insight Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award

Click the image to view the press release

Conducting Business with UCA

For information and participation in UCA’s bidding, negotiation, and award processes, please visit https://uca.edu/purchasing/current-bids/ or contact the Purchasing Office at (501) 450-3173 or (501) 682-6779 (Little Rock line).