As an environmental consultancy, EA routinely works with a wide variety of subcontractors and suppliers. EA’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) is committed to providing diverse businesses with the maximum opportunity to support these procurement requirements. For EA, supplier diversity is good business and a tenet of our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.

EA’s SDP is rooted in the federal small business utilization laws and regulations managed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Its operations are guided by the company’s Contract and Procurement Group Policy and Manual. Since 2013, the program has been directed by Melissa Smith, Vice President/Small Business Liaison Officer, a Certified Supplier Diversity Professional.

The program’s success was clearly demonstrated in 2019 when EA’s total subcontractor spend was nearly $57M with approximately 64%—more than $36M—going to small businesses with the spend on diverse businesses as follows:

• Disadvantaged Small Businesses 41%
• Woman-Owned Small Businesses 20%
• Veteran-Owned Small Businesses 15%
• Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses 2%
• HUBZone Certified Businesses 1%

The keystones of EA’s SDP are as follows:

• Sourcing/Identification – Expand our network of diverse business partners through regular participation in outreach activities, utilization of directories, and our online registration portal.
• Support/Counsel – Offer counsel on business processes and procedures, marketing and business development, technical quality and innovations, and discuss potential subcontracting opportunities.
• Good Faith Efforts – Includes breaking out contract work requirements into economically feasible units, soliciting diverse businesses early in the acquisition process, and providing adequate and timely information to assist diverse businesses in submitting an offer.
• Invoicing/Payment – Provide detailed procedures for invoicing, promote an “open door” policy, and pay subcontractors within seven (7) days of receipt of payment by the client.
• Procurement Management Training and Awareness – Train and educate EA Procurement Managers, evaluate performance, and maintain records using our cost accounting system.

Ian D. MacFarlane, President and CEO