Rutgers' Supplier Diversity Program seeks to build business relationships between qualified minority-owned, woman-owned, and veteran-owned business enterprises and the University.

Supplier Diversity Advisory Board

Rutgers University–New Brunswick initiated the building of a universitywide program in December 2020 under the sponsorship of J. Michael Gower, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Since then, an advisory board comprising the following university staff has been created: 

• Enobong (Anna) Branch, Senior Vice President for Equity,  
• Nimish Patel, Associate Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, and 
• Wes Coleman, Associate Director, Supplier Diversity 

The board also includes five notable business leaders in New Jersey who represent a variety of industry sectors with physical presences in North, Central, and South Jersey.  

Commitment to Diversity

We educate and encourage small and diverse suppliers to compete for University business opportunities. More specifically, Procurement Services:

• Serves as a link between minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and/or small business enterprises and the Rutgers University community
• Recruits qualified minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and/or small business enterprises
• Educates minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and/or small business enterprises about the University’s procurement processes
• Encourages diverse suppliers to become certified with recognized federal, state and third-party agencies
• Advocates for the inclusion of qualified minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and/or small business enterprises in the purchasing activities of the University
• Fosters alliances and partnerships between diverse suppliers and larger suppliers
• Assists in drafting Small Business Subcontracting Plans for sponsored projects

Doing Business with Rutgers

To participate in the Supplier Diversity Program, a company must be at least 51% owned, controlled, and operated by a United States citizen(s) who is:

• African-American
• Asian-Indian
• Asian-Pacific
• Hispanic
• Native-American
• a veteran
• a woman

Recognized Certifying Agencies

To do business with Rutgers as a minority-owned, women-owned or veteran-owned enterprise, the business should be certified by one of the following agencies:

• New Jersey Department of the Treasury—Division of Revenue
• The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
• NY & NJ Minority Supplier Development Council, or its national affiliate
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

Rutgers also acknowledges suppliers in Labor Surplus Areas (LSAs). LSAs are government-designated towns and counties that have experienced severe unemployment. These areas are designated by the United States Department of Labor on a yearly basis.

How to Register to Do Business

If your company can provide a product or service that fits Rutgers’ needs and you are interested in pursuing opportunities with the University, we encourage you to:

• Obtain membership in and be certified by one or more of the recognized certification organization
• Complete the supplier registration form

See Becoming a Supplier for more information.