Our featured Miami Dade representative is Sheldon Edwards, Minority and Small Business Enterprise Coordinator.

What are your duties and responsibilities?

As the Minority and Small Business Enterprise Coordinator, I am responsible for providing developing, monitoring and improving on the marketing and success of the Miami Dade College, Minority and Small Business Enterprise Program. This includes seeking and identifying minority, women-owned and small businesses that provide or may provide goods and services to the College. Updating and keeping an active database of relevant vendors that can provide any of these services from Construction, Architecture, Engineering and Goods and Professional Services. This includes working with the schools ten campuses and different divisions on their purchasing practices to identify opportunities for minority and small businesses. Also, conduct workshops and one on one meeting to instruct potential vendors regarding the Colleges purchasing processes. In addition, prepare reports to highlight the programs success and progress.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Meeting people and creating and developing sustainable relationships with companies and creating opportunities for vendors. Cultivating growth for businesses while adding value to the college and the community we serve. Assisting start up companies on their first contract and watching their performance exceed expectations of the end users. Finally, helping firms graduate to a level of competition and not having the need for any type of programs.

How long have you worked with Miami Dade College?

I’ve only been with Miami Dade College for 1 year. However, my experience includes over 18 years working in the Minority and Small Business field in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, for one of the nation’s largest water and wastewater utilities.

How can WBEs get noticed by Miami Dade College?

Perform at a very high level and be attentive to the needs of the College. Miami Dade College operates 24/7, which means that we are always open and working to serve our students and the community. Therefore, know your customers needs and be very attentive to what counts most. Finally, once you’ve entered into a contract, I cannot stress enough that you perform at a very high standard. Your performance will follow you throughout the college. Therefore, go above and beyond what your competitor will do.

How do you become a vendor/supplier to Miami Dade College?

In order to become a vendor or supplier, you need to register by completing a vendor application for MDC. The application is on our web site: Go to www.mdc.edu and click on Purchasing. Also, attend workshops and find out who the Buyers and Assistant Buyers are at the College. Always check the bid postings on the Purchasing Departments webpage.

What is the spend for Miami Dade College with women-owned businesses?

The College spends from $80M - $100M a year for services. Of this amount, about 25% goes to minority vendors.

What trends do you see?

We at the College can only control our spending. And we hope to continue at this rate with more initiatives to increase our spend dollars to small, local and minority firms. I personally think that as the economy picks up businesses will get more opportunities and the companies will do much better. However, with all of the budget cuts to the education arena, it may go slower than anticipated for businesses.