It is insufficient for the district to provide equal opportunity in its employment and to prohibit discrimination throughout the administration of its human resource policies and practices. The district also has an obligation to promote equal opportunity in all of its business practices and to ensure that those it does business with will do likewise. Thus, equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination will also apply to employment by a district contractor and not be limited solely to that portion of employment associated with the receipt or use of district funds. Because the district is a public institution operating through the use of public funds, it reserves the right to require that those entering into public contracts with the district be in compliance with all federal, state and local laws which prohibit illegal discrimination.
The district’s financial and purchasing organization shall be responsible for administering this provision of the Workforce Diversity Plan.
7.1 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PRACTICES/CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The district accepts as part of its responsibility the obligation to provide for equal employment opportunity in its business practices and to require the assurance of similar fair employment practices from those it contracts with to do business.
7.1.1 The district will incorporate as part of its bid process the requirement that all bidders or prospective contractors certify that their employment policies and practices do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental handicap, sexual orientation or age unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications (bfoq); and that they are otherwise in compliance with all federal, state and local laws prohibiting discrimination.
7.1.2 The district will include an Equal Employment Opportunity provision in contracts or subcontracts it issues so that such provision will be binding upon the contractor, subcontractor or vendor. In the event of noncompliance by the contractor, the contractor will be made aware that such contracts may be canceled, terminated, or suspended in whole or in part and the contractor may be declared ineligible for further district contracts.
7.2 DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (DBE’S)
The district will make every effort to identify, and enter into contracts with businesses owned and operated by people of color, women, and people with disabilities. To qualify, the business must have at least 51% ownership by a minority, woman, or disabled individual; and, except for disability, such firms should be certified by the state as a MWBE.
7.2.1 The district will establish a locally-supplemented list of DBE’s to include businesses owned and operated by people with disabilities.
7.2.2 The district will make known to such businesses any pending requests for bids, take special care in reviewing their bids, and make appropriate contract awards if their bids are substantially equal to other bids.
7.2.3 To facilitate opportunities for DBE’s, the district will encourage and expect managers to include at least one quote from a firm or vendor that is on the district’s list of DBE’s, where available, for personal service contracts and competitive quotes for goods or services of less than $25,000.
