Expanding Equity One Vendor at a Time

WHEDA’s procurement practices strive to provide vigilant stewardship of resources, inspire stakeholder confidence through consistent and transparent processes, and ensure the business community has access to open and fair competition.

For its competitive bidding process, WHEDA encourages Wisconsin-based businesses including women-owned businesses, disabled veteran-owned businesses, as well as businesses owned by people of color to submit quotes and proposals whenever possible. A competitive bidding process with at least three quotes from viable vendors is part of WHEDA’s standard to select suppliers of goods and services.

Learn more details about the procurement process here.

WHEDA follows the State of Wisconsin procurement policy which includes a target of spending five percent of discretionary purchases with diverse business owners on an annual basis. These efforts have led to expanding economic opportunity for different sizes and types of Wisconsin businesses. According to the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI), Wisconsin state agencies, institutes, and campuses purchase in excess of $3 billion worth of goods, services, and capital equipment each year.

To make an even bigger impact, WHEDA has made a strategic goal to double the state’s requirement and strive for 10 percent of its yearly discretionary purchases with diverse Wisconsin businesses. Through this expanded effort, WHEDA has been able to partner with Wisconsin business leaders on many unique projects—large and small.

The construction of WHEDA’s new Madison headquarters at 908 E. Main Street, is just one example of how WHEDA’s commitment to expanding purchases and contracts with diverse businesses has played out. Thirty-six percent of the purchases and services related to the construction of the WHEDA office were with women-owned businesses, disabled-veteran owned business as well as other diverse contracting firms. WHEDA continues to grow its partnerships with diverse business leaders wherever possible to help ensure that all Wisconsin entrepreneurs have the ability to thrive and succeed in their business endeavors.