Business and Supplier Diversity at SDI Presence

SDI’s Supplier Diversity process maximizes procurement opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned and other diverse companies through our partnering initiatives for our strategic clients, and for our own procurement needs. A primary goal of the SDI Supplier & Business Diversity Program and process is to promote diversity within our own and our customers’ supply chains, by helping to create a positive economic impact in the very communities SDI Presence serves. 

To inquire more about our initiatives, register to become a business partner or supplier or email businessdiversity@sdipresence.com with any questions about SDI’s business and supplier diversity program. We seek to partner with the following categories: 

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE): A business is classified as a minority business enterprise if the company is at least 51% owned, controlled, and operated by one or more individuals from a minority group. The following describes the classified minority groups: 

  • African-American: A U.S. citizen who is of black racial groups from the origins of Africa 
  • Asian Indian-American: A U.S. citizen whose origins are from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh 
  • Asian Pacific-American: A U.S. citizen whose origins are from Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas 
  • Hispanic-American: A U.S. citizen who is of Spanish culture from the origins of Mexico, South or Central America or the Caribbean Islands 
  • Native-American: A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut or Native Hawaiian 

Woman Business Enterprise (WBE): A business is classified as a woman business enterprise if the company is at least 51% owned, controlled, and operated by one or more women. 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Business Enterprise (LGBTBE): A business is classified as LGBT if the company is at least 51% owned, controlled and operated by one or more principals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. 

Disability-owned business Enterprise (DBE): A business is classified as disability-owned business if the company is at least 51% owned, operated, managed and controlled by individual(s) with a disability or service-disabled veteran(s) who are either U.S. citizen(s) or lawful permanent resident(s). 

Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) is defined as: At least 51 percent of the business must be directly and unconditionally owned by one or more veteran(s) or service-disabled veteran(s). The veteran owner(s) must have full control over the day-to-day management, decision-making, and strategic policy of the business.  

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE): A veteran is any person who has had not less than 90 calendar days of active service in the armed forces of the United States during any period covered by a selective service law and who has received an honorable discharge or other suitable evidence of honorable active service.  

Small Business Enterprise (SBE), as used in this provision, means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it might bid on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR 21. 

  • Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) – DBEs are for-profit small business concerns where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals own at least 51% of their interest and control management and daily business operations. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged.  Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis. 
  • Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), as used in this provision, means a small business that is at least 51 percent owned by a woman or women who are U.S. citizens and who also control and operate the business. 
  • Veteran Owned Small Business Enterprise –is the term defined by the Department of Veteran Affairs as a Small Business Enterprise owned by a veteran.    
  • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) – The terms veteran and service-disabled veteran are defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2) and (16) respectively, the Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Code. The term “veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. 

Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone: To qualify as a HubZone Business, your business must be a Small Business according to the SBA standards. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by US citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaskan Native Corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization or an Indian Tribe. 

SDI Presence is certified by the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (Chicago MSDC) and we are an active member of the council to participate in opportunities to identify diverse owned MBEs for our Supplier and Business Diversity Programs. 

We have local memberships with the following regional councils affiliated with the NMSDC: 

  • The Georgia MSDC
  • The Western Regional MSDC
  • The Southern California MSDC

SDI is also very involved in many organizations that share our goals in business and supplier diversity. Some additional organizations we are active in include: 

  • Chicago United and their Five Forward Program
  • National Utilities Diversity Council (NUDC) and the Supplier Diversity network affiliated with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) through our Utilities Strategic Business Unit.

SDI Presence seeks to do business with firms located in the states in which we operate, and we source diverse supplier partnerships nationally based on our own and our client’s needs. Prospective supplier partners are requested to provide proof of certification. SDI Presence will monitor vendor certifications on a regular basis. A certification from one of the following organizations is preferred, although local and/or state certifications are also acceptable. 

For inquiries please email businessdiversity@sdipresence.com.