The purpose of this forum is to discuss what is working or not working among federal, state, and local affirmative procurement programs. We may need to divide this forum into sub-categories once we see what topics resonate with participants.

I agree on subcategories and suggest that it might also be necessary to define what "working" means. Is it total spend with diverse suppliers, business growth, first time successes? I think we all know in our "gut" what works, however, it might help ultimately to have a common language, some agreed upon best practices in the public sector that become the standard (in addition to that gut feeling)!
Thanks!
Coop

Hey Coop
  I think you are right. Most people I talk with you who are only somewhat involved with the process, seem to think that total spend with diverse suppliers is the only important measure of what is working.  However, I think there are other important measures.  One would be the degree of cooperation that one finds in the various public agencies.  A system that relies completely on putative measures will likely not 'work' in the long-term.
  The North Carolina legislation is interesting.  It basically says that the goal of the affirmative procurement legislation is to make that legislation obsolete and unnecessary. I think that needs to enter the definition of what 'works' - something that just happens naturally.  Maybe a few places are there now, but most are not.