Arkansas Procurement Officer's Survey

Help Shape Arkansas’s Economic Future!

Dear Procurement Officers and Purchasing Officials,

We need your help with a 10-minute anonymous survey to better understand your organization's procurement practices. Even if you're not officially a procurement officer, we welcome input from anyone involved in purchasing decisions. Your insights will help us streamline procurement processes and strengthen partnerships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This research is commissioned by the Arkansas Minority Business Development Agency Business Center, operated by Communities Unlimited, a 501(c)(3) Community Development Financial Institution based in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

For questions, please contact Dr. Kristy Carter at kristycarterpro@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION

Question Title

* 1. Is your organization currently conducting business in Arkansas?

Yes

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* 2. What type of organization do you represent? (Select the best option)

City/State Government

Federal Government

Private Corporation

Public Corporation

Privately Funded Educational Institution

State-Funded Educational Institution

Nonprofit Organization

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Does your organization currently purchase goods and services from vendors for operating purposes?

Yes

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* 4. What types of goods and services does your organization currently procure or contract out to third parties? (Select all that apply).

Construction

Education or Training Services

Environmental or Janitorial Services

Food Service

Landscaping and Lawn Service

Professional Services (e.g., legal, consulting)

Technology/IT

Goods/Manufacturing

Healthcare

Other (please specify)

PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Question Title

* 5. How does your organization typically procure goods and services? (Select all that apply)

Competitive bidding

Direct purchase

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ)

Sole-source procurement

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 6. Provide an approximate number of contracts that your business or organization awarded in 2024?

1-10

11-50

51-100

101+

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* 7. How does your organization ensure a fair and competitive procurement process? (Select all that apply).

Using a transparent bidding process open to all qualified suppliers

Publishing procurement opportunities on public platforms or websites

Establishing clear evaluation criteria and scoring systems

Requiring competitive bidding for all purchases above a certain threshold

Conducting pre-bid meetings to clarify requirements and answer questions

Using a diverse evaluation committee to review bids

Implementing e-procurement systems to streamline and standardize the process

Auditing procurement activities to ensure compliance with policies

Providing feedback to unsuccessful bidders to improve future submissions

Encouraging participation from small, local, or diverse suppliers

Rotating suppliers to prevent favoritism and encourage competition

Adhering to strict conflict-of-interest policies

Monitoring and reporting on procurement outcomes and supplier performance

None – we do not have specific measures in place to ensure fairness and competition

Other (please specify)

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* 8. How often does your organization review and update its procurement policies?

Annually

Every 2–3 years

Every 4–5 years

Rarely/only when necessary

Never

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* 9. Has your organization adopted any of the following procurement technologies? (Select all that apply)?

E-procurement platforms

Spend analysis tools

Supplier relationship management (SRM) software

Blockchain for supply chain transparency

None

VENDOR AND SUPPLIER CHARACTERISTICS

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* 10. Does your organization prioritize purchasing from local (Arkansas-based) suppliers?

Yes

Not sure

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* 11. How important is supplier diversity (e.g., minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned businesses) in your procurement decisions?

Very important

Somewhat important

Neutral

Not very important

Not important at all

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* 12. How does your organization encourage new or underrepresented suppliers to participate in the procurement process? (Select all that apply)

Hosting supplier diversity fairs or outreach events

Providing training or workshops for new suppliers

Simplifying the bidding process for smaller suppliers

Setting goals for spending with underrepresented suppliers

Partnering with local business associations or diversity councils

Offering mentorship or capacity-building programs

Breaking large contracts into smaller lots to increase accessibility

Using an e-procurement platform to streamline supplier registration

Providing financial support, such as advance payments or shorter payment terms

Collaborating with government or nonprofit programs to identify diverse suppliers

Requiring prime contractors to include diverse subcontractors

Tracking and reporting supplier diversity metrics

Dedicating a team or manager to oversee supplier diversity efforts

None – we do not have specific initiatives to encourage underrepresented suppliers

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. How satisfied are you with the availability of local suppliers in Arkansas?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

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* 14. What percentage of annual contract spending is allocated to vendors who are diverse and underrepresented?

1-5%

6-10%

11-20%

More than 21%

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. In which areas could vendors improve their practices to secure more contracts through your organization? (Select all that apply)

Proposal Writing Skills

Financial Capacity

Negotiating contract details

Networking with Buyers

Technical Expertise

Certification Compliance

No areas need improvement

Other (please specify)

PROCUREMENT CHALLENGES

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* 16. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your procurement practices?

Increased focus on local sourcing

Greater use of e-procurement tools

More emphasis on supplier risk management

No significant impact

Other (please specify)

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* 17. What are the biggest challenges your office or organization faces in procurement? (Select all that apply)

Budget constraints

Finding reliable suppliers

Compliance with regulations

Lack of skilled procurement staff

Limited access to technology/e-procurement tools

Other (please specify)

None of the above

Question Title

* 18. What barriers do you face when providing procurement or contracting support to vendors? (Select all that apply)

Limited Awareness of Certified Vendors

Capacity Gaps within our organization (e.g., financial, technical)

Bidding Process Complexity

Lack of Diverse Vendor Networks

Internal Resistance to Change

Other (please specify)

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* 19. Are there any external or internal requirements that influence your supplier selection process, (e.g., Arkansas Act 1080)?

Yes

Unsure

ORGANIZATION EVALUATION

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* 20. How would you evaluate the bidding process in your organization, (e.g., solicitation, bid opening, and contract award)?

"F" Failing

"D" Below Standard

"C' Average

"B" Good Above Average

"A" Excellent highest level of achievement

N/A

"F" Failing

"D" Below Standard

"C' Average

"B" Good Above Average

"A" Excellent highest level of achievement

N/A

Question Title

* 21. How would you rate your organization's overall procurement process, (e.g. identifying needs, soliciting bids from suppliers, evaluating options, negotiating contracts, placing orders, and receiving goods)?

Very Difficult

Difficult

Neutral

Easy

Very Easy

Very Difficult

Difficult

Neutral

Easy

Very Easy

Question Title

* 22. How would you assess your organization’s overall support for small, local, or underrepresented suppliers?

"F" Failing

"D" Below Standard

"C' Average

"B" Good Above Average

"A" Excellent highest level of achievement

N/A

"F" Failing

"D" Below Standard

"C' Average

"B" Good Above Average

"A" Excellent highest level of achievement

N/A

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Question Title

* 23. How many years your organization has been in operation.

0–2 years

3–5 years

6–10 years

11-20 years

21-30 years

31-50 years

More than 50 years

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* 24. How large is your organization (employee size)?

2–5

6–10

11–50

51-100

101-250

251-500

501-999

1,000 +

Question Title

* 25. What is your organization’s annual procurement budget?

Less than $100,000

$100,001–$500,000

$500,001 - $1,000,000

$1,000,001–$5,000,000

$5,000,001 - $10M

$10,000,001-$20M

+$20M

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* 26. What area of the state is your organization stationed?

Central Arkansas

Southeast Arkansas

Southwest Arkansas

Northeast Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas

FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS

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* 27. Please use the space below to elaborate or provide any additional comments that you would like to share. (Optional)

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* 28. How did you hear about this survey?

Word of Mouth

Phone Call

Text Message

Social Media

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 29. We invite procurement officers to participate in anonymous 30-minute interviews. If you would like to share your experiences or seek clarification on any survey item, please complete the contact form below. Please note this information will remain private and only used to verify responses. Use this calendar link to schedule your private 30-minute session with Dr. Kristy Carter, researcher. Schedule Your 1:1 Interview Now

Name

Organization

City/Town

State/Province

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number