The Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program was created in 1983 when the Legislature passed Wisconsin Act 390 that set a 5% participation goal for state agencies and University of Wisconsin campuses for purchases of goods and services with certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs). Act 390 also established a permissive 5% bid preference for certified MBE firms responding to bids for State contracts.
In 2006, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted a woman-owned business bill that requires the Department of Administration “to develop, maintain, and keep a computer database of businesses in the state that are owned by women, containing demographic statistics and information on the types of industries represented, sales volume and growth rates, generation of jobs by both new and existing businesses and any other relevant characteristics.” According to the Act, firms wishing to participate in the WBE program must be certified by the Wisconsin Department of Administration.
In 2010, the Legislature enacted Wisconsin Act 299 that provided a participation goal of a portion of state contracts for Disabled-Veteran Owned Businesses (DVBs) certified by the State of Wisconsin. It also provided a permissive 5% bid preference to such firms. In 2014, the Legislature enacted an amendment under 2013 Wisconsin Act 192 to establish a 1% participation goal for DVBs.
