New Intiative: USWCC Women’s Business Procurement Project

Washington, D.C — The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is establishing a bold new initiative that will provide women business owners, government, and corporate and economic leaders with a framework to create results that are more positive for women in procurement.

“Recently the Center for Women’s Business Research and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council released findings of the challenges women are facing in corporate and government procurement markets,” said Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce.  “These studies illuminate one of the last great hurdles for women in business — the access to large purchasing markets.  This access will greatly improve the ability of women-owned firms to generate substantial revenues.”

“Women-owned firms represent 38 percent of all businesses in the U.S., but capture less than 5 percent of government and corporate purchasing dollars and less than 3 percent of state purchasing dollars,” d Dorfman.  “It is time for women business owners and corporate and government leaders to come together in a serious way to create real opportunities for women in procurement.”

The USWCC Women’s Business Procurement Project implements a multi-level approach to create more opportunities for women in business including the establishment of:

• Local and national USWCC Women’s Business Procurement Councils comprised of women business owners, corporate and government procurement leaders, U.S. Small Business Administration regional leaders, lenders, and regional and national economic development leaders working together to increase access and education and improve the success of women in procurement.
• The USWCC National Women’s Procurement Support Network of government and corporate supporters who commit to setting and keeping reasonable goals to improve their organization’s spending with women-owned firms. 
• The USWCC Women’s Procurement Network – the voice for women in procurement in the United States. 
• The USWCC National Women’s Enterprise Certification to enable women to more easily obtain a national certification that will assist them in reaching across state and regional barriers to procurement opportunities.
• Local and national USWCC Women’s Procurement Summits where women business owners, economic and government leaders can come together to review the successes and challenges in procurement. 
“Through these nationally coordinated, locally implemented councils, commitments and opportunities, women will gain a much stronger position in the marketplace,” Dorfman concludes.  "The USWCC Women’s Procurement Project will move women business owners into positions of leadership working side-by-side corporate and government leaders to make positive change.” •

The Next Step: Advancing the Procurement Project

About US Women’s Chamber of Commerce
The USWCC, a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) trade association, is the pre-eminent national women’s chamber of commerce network whose mission is to develop leaders, accelerate economic growth and provide a community voice for women.  Any woman or man joining the chamber becomes part of the national organization and local affiliate.  More information on the USWCC can be found at www.uswomenschamber.com or by contacting the organization at (888) 861-9290.