SAN DIEGO COUNTY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
1. Policy Statement
Supplier Diversity Policy Statement
San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital (SDCPH) is a department within the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency – Behavioral Health Services. As an entity of the County, SDCPH fully adheres to the County’s procurement policies and guidelines as implemented by the County’s Department of Purchasing and Contracting (DPC). Accordingly, SDCPH’s supplier diversity practices are embedded within the County’s centralized procurement framework. In support of supplier diversity, SDCPH is submitting information based on the County’s most recent Department of Purchasing and Contracting FY 2023-24 Supplier Diversity and Engagement Annual Report, which summarizes the County’s efforts to promote participation of small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses in County procurements. The County’s procurement policies are guided by Board Policy B-53 (Small Business Policy) and Board Policy B-39a (Veteran Owned Business and Disabled Veterans Business Program). These policies articulate the County’s supplier diversity policy statement and demonstrate a commitment to maintaining an open, transparent, and equitable procurement process that fosters inclusive contracting opportunities for small, minority-owned, women-owned, disabled veteran-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and other diverse businesses. The County does not require suppliers to hold County-specific certifications. Instead, it recognizes third-party certifications issued by the California Department of General Services (DGS) for Small Business (SB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) designations, as well as federal certifications from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) designations. The County does not accept self-certification for participation in its supplier diversity reporting. The County’s overarching goal is to ensure that local and regional government contracting dollars are reinvested in the communities it serves, proportionate to the demographics of those communities. To achieve this, the County employs inclusive contracting strategies that create greater access and opportunity for businesses owned by individuals from historically underrepresented and under served populations. These strategies address both internal government processes and external systemic barriers that may affect prime contractor and subcontractor participation in County contracting opportunities. San Diego County’s supplier diversity efforts operate within the bounds of Proposition 209 (California Constitution, Article I, Section 31), while also aligning with the State’s broader objectives under Public Contract Code §10115 et seq. and HCAI regulations outlined in Title 22, CCR, Division 7, Chapter 10, which encourage increased procurement opportunities for DVBEs, women-, minority-, and LGBT-owned business enterprises.
2. Goals and Timetables
Please describe your hospital's short-term goals and timetables, but not quotas, for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises
The hospital’s short-term goals for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBTQ, and disabled veteran business enterprises are implemented through the County’s centralized procurement system administered by the Department of Purchasing and Contracting (DPC). Short-term goals include promoting equity in contracting through solicitation design, using DPC’s Equity in Contracting tools, and leveraging DPC’s supplier outreach activities. In FY 2023-2024, DPC conducted over 41 vendor engagement events to expand participation opportunities for diverse suppliers. These efforts are ongoing and reviewed annually to support continuous improvement in supplier diversity.
Please describe your hospital's long-term goals and timetables, but not quotas, for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises
As a department within the County of San Diego, San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital (SDCPH), aligns with the long-term supplier diversity goals established and led by the County’s Department of Purchasing and Contracting (DPC). While the hospital does not directly establish independent supplier diversity goals, it participates in County-administered procurement processes that reflect these County-wide objectives. The County’s long-term goals for increasing procurement from women, minority, LGBTQ, and disabled veteran business enterprises include: • Formalizing local participation requirements for County contracts where permissible under applicable funding requirements and laws. • Increasing the County’s local business bid preference from 5% to 15% and expanding the local preference definition to include non-profit organizations. • Establishing a goal for 25% of annual County procurement spend to be directed toward local small businesses and non-profit organizations. • Developing a small business advancement policy to expand support and opportunities for underrepresented businesses. • Implementing a comprehensive technical assistance program to assist local small and diverse businesses in navigating the County’s procurement process. • Creating an insurance and bonding assistance program to help small and diverse businesses overcome barriers to participating in larger County projects. By operating within this Countywide procurement framework, SDCPH supports and benefits from these long-term strategies that are designed to promote inclusive contracting opportunities and expand access for diverse businesses across all County contracting activities.
3. Outreach and Communication
Please describe the methods in which the hospital encourages and seeks out both prime and subcontract suppliers from women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises to become potential suppliers
One of the primary methods DPC uses is the County’s BuyNet vendor portal, which publishes all County solicitations for goods and services and provides full access to procurement opportunities for potential contractors. BuyNet allows vendors to self-report certain business demographic information during registration, which enables DPC to monitor supplier diversity participation and tailor outreach efforts. The County’s ability to collect and use demographic data is limited by Proposition 209, which prohibits public agencies in California from granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public contracting. As a result, while the County actively encourages voluntary demographic reporting for informational and outreach purposes, suppliers are not required to disclose race, ethnicity, or gender as a condition of doing business with the County. This ensures full compliance with state constitutional requirements while still allowing the County to promote inclusive contracting opportunities through race- and gender-neutral outreach strategies. To further encourage diverse supplier participation, DPC actively promotes BuyNet registration and demographic survey completion among women-owned, minority-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and disabled veteran-owned businesses. According to recent vendor demographic reporting, approximately 25% of suppliers (623 businesses) identified as minority-owned, 7% (181 businesses) as women-owned, and 7% (185 businesses) as veteran-owned. Through the County’s centralized procurement system and the use of BuyNet, the hospital benefits from these County-led methods that seek to expand participation from diverse suppliers in both prime and subcontractor roles.
Please describe the methods in which the hospital encourages its employees involved in procurement to seek out women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises to become potential suppliers
DPC oversees all supplier outreach, vendor engagement, and procurement operations on behalf of the hospital. Hospital staff do not directly engage potential suppliers nor do they participate in supplier outreach activities. Instead, DPC conducts all supplier diversity outreach efforts and maintains responsibility for identifying and engaging women, minority, LGBTQ, and disabled veteran business enterprises (DVBEs). The hospital's analysts involved in procurements support supplier diversity by collaborating with DPC throughout the procurement life cycle to ensure solicitations are structured in alignment with the County’s supplier diversity policies. These policies include the County’s Equity in Contracting program, which incorporates tools such as the Equity in Contracting Questions and Considerations Checklist that guides staff in considering diversity, equity, and inclusion factors during solicitation development, evaluation criteria design, and contract awards. DPC’s centralized outreach efforts include vendor fairs, technical assistance workshops, and “How to Do Business with the County” sessions. While hospital staff are not directly involved in these activities, they benefit from DPC’s extensive supplier engagement infrastructure that actively seeks to increase the pool of qualified diverse suppliers available for County contracting opportunities.
Please describe the methods in which the hospital conducts outreach and communication to women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises
Although the hospital does not conduct direct outreach and communication, DPC integrates community engagement throughout its procurement processes, aligning with the County’s broader operational model that prioritizes inclusion and equity. DPC promotes access for diverse businesses through: • Publicly posting all solicitations on the County’s BuyNet vendor portal. • Conducting vendor outreach events, technical assistance workshops, and community forums to connect with small and diverse businesses. • Partnering with organizations such as the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), APEX Accelerator, and Chambers of Commerce to expand vendor access. • Encouraging vendors to voluntarily submit business demographic information during BuyNet registration to help inform ongoing outreach and engagement strategies. Through this County-wide inclusive procurement framework, DPC ensures diverse businesses are aware of and have access to contracting opportunities, consistent with County policies and in compliance with applicable state law.
4. Support and Supplier Resolutions
Please describe the methods in which your hospital supports, partners with, or interacts with organizations and other entities in the procurement ecosystem that promote, certify, or contract with women, minority, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprises
DPC partners with several organizations that actively support and certify small and diverse businesses, including: • The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which provides technical assistance, workshops, and one-on-one support to help local small businesses, non-profit organizations, and community providers participate successfully in County procurements. • The San Diego, Orange, Imperial APEX Accelerator (APEX), formerly known as PTAC, which helps businesses navigate government contracting requirements. APEX is operated by Southwestern Community College District, a certified Minority Institution with over 50 years of service in the San Diego region. • The County also participates in and hosts events such as Connecting with the County, the Small Business Expo, the Annual BELL Business & Government Contracting Summit, and Black Entrepreneurs Leaders & Learners (BELL) to promote diverse business participation. Through these partnerships, the County strengthens its procurement ecosystem to expand access for underrepresented businesses. The hospital, as part of the County’s procurement system, benefits from these efforts that promote supplier diversity across all contracting opportunities.
Please describe the methods in which your hospital resolves any issues that may limit or impede an enterprise from becoming a supplier
The County and DPC are committed to advancing equity and dismantling barriers that prevent participation by small and diverse businesses, including those owned by women, minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and disabled veterans. DPC’s procurement processes are aligned with the County’s Strategic Plan and its inclusive contracting goals to expand opportunities for traditionally under served businesses and communities. To address potential issues during the procurement process, the County has established formal protest procedures under Board Policy A-97, which allows offerors to file protests related to proposed contract awards in formal procurements. For solicitations awarded based on best value criteria, unsuccessful offerors may also request a debriefing with the assigned buyer to review the evaluation process and understand areas for improvement for future procurements. In addition, the County’s technical assistance partnerships with organizations such as the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and APEX Accelerator provide small and diverse businesses with support navigating procurement requirements, helping them overcome common barriers such as insurance, bonding, and regulatory compliance challenges. Through these combined methods, the County actively works to identify and address barriers that may otherwise impede participation by diverse suppliers. The hospital benefits from these efforts through its participation in the County’s centralized procurement structure.
5. Diversity Commission Recommendations and Planned Implementations
Please describe the past implementation of relevant recommendations made by the Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission
The hospital does not have a separate Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission, since supplier diversity activities are managed centrally through the County procurement system.
Please describe the planned implementation of relevant recommendations made by the Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission
The hospital does not have a separate Hospital Supplier Diversity Commission, since supplier diversity activities are managed centrally through the County procurement system.
6. Procurement Process and Certification
Please describe your hospital's procurement process
SDCPH conducts procurements through the County of San Diego’s centralized Department of Purchasing and Contracting. All procurement activities are managed under the County Charter, Board Policies, Administrative Code, and established procurement procedures designed to ensure transparency, competition, and equitable contracting opportunities. The procurement process begins when the requesting department submits a formal procurement request to DPC. DPC determines the appropriate solicitation method based on funding source, contract type, and dollar threshold, utilizing competitive procurement tools such as Requests for Bids (RFBs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and Requests for Quotations (RFQs). All formal solicitations are publicly advertised on the County’s electronic procurement platform, BuyNet, which allows vendors, including women, minority, LGBTQ, and disabled veteran-owned businesses, to register, access solicitations, and submit proposals. Proposals are evaluated based on published evaluation criteria, which may include technical qualifications, cost, experience, and community engagement considerations. The County applies a local preference incentive in certain solicitations to encourage participation from qualified local, small, and veteran-owned businesses. Following proposal evaluation, DPC issues a Notice of Intent to Award, providing unsuccessful offerors an opportunity to protest award decisions under Board Policy A-97 or request a debriefing to improve future proposal submissions. Once awarded, departments monitor and administer the contract during its term. This centralized procurement framework supports inclusive contracting and promotes supplier diversity through standardized processes, public transparency, technical assistance partnerships, and County policy-driven outreach efforts.
Website Link(s)
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/purchasing/SupplierDiversity.html
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/purchasing/policies.html
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/purchasing
Do you require suppliers to be certified?
No
Do you accept self-certification
No
7. Diverse Supplier Spending
Diverse Procurement Spending by Minority
For the reporting period, enter the dollar amounts procured by your hospital from those business enterprises that employ the majority of their workforce in California.
| Business Ownership | Tier 1 Procurement | Tier 2 Procurement | Total Procurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American | -- | -- | -- |
| Hispanic American | -- | -- | -- |
| Native American | -- | -- | -- |
| Asian Pacific | -- | -- | -- |
| Unknown Minority | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | -- | -- | -- |
Diverse Procurement Spending by Other
For the reporting period, enter the dollar amounts procured by your hospital from those business enterprises that employ the majority of their workforce in California.
| Business Ownership | Tier 1 Procurement | Tier 2 Procurement | Total Procurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minority* | -- | -- | -- |
| Women | -- | -- | -- |
| LGBT | -- | -- | -- |
| Disabled Veteran | -- | -- | -- |
| Less Duplicate Amount (-) | --- | --- | --- |
| Combined Total | -- | -- | -- |
*Total from the Diverse Procurement Spending by Minority table.
What is your hospital's total procurement (including diverse and non-diverse suppliers)?
$9,359,107
Procurement means the purchase or lease of supplies, services, equipment, and capital expenditures related to buildings and fixed equipment during the previous calendar year. Procurement does not include items such as employee salaries and wages, fixed asset depreciation, amortization, or taxes.
8. Supplier Point of Contact
Enter the contact information for the individual that business enterprises who are interested in contracting with your facility can reach out to.
Name: Kristin McHenry
Enter the contact information for the individual of the diverse business outreach liaison of your hospital.
Name: Paola Munoz
Hospital Contacts for Diverse Business Enterprises are available upon request. Please send request via email to supplier.diversity@hcai.ca.gov
9. Third Party Procurement
Third Party Procurement
10. Other Relevant Information
San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital conducts all procurement activities through the County’s centralized Department of Purchasing and Contracting (DPC). As such, SDCPH does not operate an independent supplier diversity program but fully benefits from and contributes to the County’s broader supplier engagement infrastructure, outreach strategies, and policy-driven equity efforts. Total procurement spend amounts are based on SDCPH procurements that were conducted and awarded during FY 23-24; this is to be consistent with DPC's current (FY 23-24) Annual Supplier Diversity Report.
Looking for Related Reports?
For assistance or to provide feedback, please contact us via email at supplier.diversity@hcai.ca.gov