LGBTBE Diverse Supplier Conference Call

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has requested to meet with the LAGLCC and other leaders from the California LGBT chambers, to discuss the progress of implementing LGBTBE vendors into the Utilities Supplier Diversity Program (USDP) and potentially setting a numeric spend goal in December 2020. The meeting will be held on January 14, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM in San Francisco. In preparation for that meeting, the LAGLCC would like to receive feedback from our LGBTBE diverse suppliers who are have secured contracts the Utilities or have attempted to. We would like to get your feedback on challenges to the procurement process with Utilities to help increase LGBT spend.
 
BACKGROUND
The CPUC’s General Order 156 (USDP) encourages investor-owned utilities to purchase 21.5 percent of their goods and services from diverse firms (15 percent minority-owned, 5 percent women-owned, and 1.5 percent disabled veteran-owned firms). General Order 156 applies to all gas, electric, water, and telecommunications (including wireless) utilities under the CPUC’s jurisdiction with gross annual intrastate revenues exceeding $25,000,000.
 
In September 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 1678 into law amending Section 8281 of the PU Code to include LGBTE business enterprises.  As a result, the CPUC opened a proceeding to update GO 156 to comply with the Bill, and on June 11, 2015, the CPUC amended GO 156 to include LGBTE business enterprises as well. On October 2, 2019, SB 255 (Bradford) passed to now include electric service providers, energy storage system companies, and community choice aggregators.
 
Although a procurement goal for LGBTE vendors was not established during the amendment of GO 156, the close of 2019, will represent the fourth year of utilities reporting procurement spend with LGBTE firms. (See results below)