Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Supplier diversity policy, founded on the notions of fairness, access and equity, has been formalized through government contracting and other initiatives since the 1960s (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2016; U.S. Small Business Administration, n.d.). Women’s and civil rights movements during this period were pivotal and exemplified that inclusion of women and minorities matter in public policy, in the market, and for local and national economic development and sustainability (Taylor, 1989; Rice, 1992; Selden, 2006; Nelson & Svara, 2014; Terman, 2014; U.S. Department of Commerce, 2016; U.S. Small Business Administration, n.d.). Supplier diversity is a proactive business program that encourages using small disadvantaged businesses in contracting practices, and while justifications for policy include economic development, increasing market competition, social causes, and normative reasons, the extent of implementation varies. Based on the notion of representative bureaucracy, this study utilizes a multi-level and multi-actor policymaking framework to examine the extent to which policy is impacted by organizational and community contexts. Utilizing survey data, this study examines the extent that local government decision-maker diversity, non-diversity organizational factors, and community engagement matters for the adequate representation of public interest.