SEED

Contracting opportunities

SMUD's Supplier Diversity Program recently implemented the SEED (Supplier Education and Economic Development) Program, an economic development program to benefit ratepaying small businesses.

The District's SEED Program offers incentives for local small businesses to participate in the District's competitive bid process. Prime contractors may also participate in the SEED program and receive incentives by subcontracting with SEED vendors.

To Qualify for SEED

Effective June 1, 2006: To qualify for the SEED Program, the vendor must be certified as a Small Business or Microbusiness by the California Department of General Services (DGS) and have been a SMUD ratepayer at the address shown on the DGS certification six months prior to the bid opening date. Qualified vendors must submit the SEED Program Small Business Declaration Form with attachments with each bid proposal to receive program advantages. The form is available in each solicitation document package. Existing SEED vendors who wish to remain eligible for new contracting opportunities after June 1, 2006 must also comply with the new program requirements.

How to reach us

Frank Martinez -- SEED Program Manager, Supplier Diversity Supervisor, 916-732-5604
Lori Okamoto -- Supplier Diversity Advocate, 916-732-5984
Cindy Hatano -- Supplier Diversity Admin Support, 916-732-5623

SEED Program incentives:

SEED Prime Contracting: All SEED vendors, who bid on open solicitations, will qualify for a 5 percent price evaluation advantage based on the lowest responsible bid capped at $250,000 and 10 RFP evaluation points.
SEED Subcontracting Program: All prime contractors, whose bids include 20 percent subcontracting with SEED vendors, will receive a 5 percent price evaluation based on the lowest responsiive bid, capped at $250,000 and 10 RFP evaluation points. Proposals with less than 20 percent SEED subcontracting will be awarded 5 percent of total value of all proposed SEED bids and pro-rata points for the value of those subcontracts.
Sheltered Market: At the discretion of District departments, contracts of $75,000 and below may be made available only to SEED vendors.

For information about the California Department of General Services (DGS), Small Business Certification Requirements go to: http://www.pd.dgs.ca.gov/smbus/default.htm

Other sites of interest:

The “SEEDs” of success

See how three small firms landed contracts with SMUD:

Moreno Trenching - “$2 million pulled from the trash”

KW Construction – “Persistence Pays”

Oshima & Yee - “The Power of Teamwork”