Chapter 2 – Public procurement systems
Stakeholders Preferential procurement policies to support women-owned businesses require participation from policymakers, procuring entities, women entrepreneurs, trade support institutions and women business organizations. Policymakers establish the legal and regulatory framework. Public procurement is a powerful tool for change. To be effective, legislators and government officials must establish an appropriate legal and regulatory framework. This is a pre-requisite for a preferential procurement scheme for women entrepreneurs. Procuring entities must be sensitized through training to implement efficiently. Procuring entities develop and implement preferential procurement policies, procedures and programmes. Procuring officials must be sensitized to the unique barriers and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. They require training to understand and comply with preferential procurement policies, procedures and programmes, and account for their implementation. Women entrepreneurs require training to take advantage of preferential access programmes. Women entrepreneurs require training because of the unique and complex nature of public procurement systems and the historic lack of participation by women-owned businesses. Trade support institutions can bridge training gaps, especially women’s business organizations. National trade promotion organizations, sectoral associations and especially women’s business associations can assist governments in reaching and sensitizing women entrepreneurs. Women tend to join women’s business organizations more frequently than other industry or trade groups. As a result, women’s business organizations have a better understanding of the issues facing women entrepreneurs, a deeper knowledge of market demographics, ready access to large constituencies and more convening power. Many offer programmes to provide networking opportunities, resources, education, training, mentoring and other support services essential to the success of women-owned businesses.
ENDNOTES 4. Title 48, Code of Federal Regulation (C.F.R.) § 7.101 (1995) (United States).
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Empowering women through public PROCUREMENT