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

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

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

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

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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).

PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

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

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

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

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

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

VENDOR AND SUPPLIER CHARACTERISTICS

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

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

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

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

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

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

PROCUREMENT CHALLENGES

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

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

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

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

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)?

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* 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)?

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

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

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

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

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

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

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?

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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

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