Web Portal FAQs

What is the benefit of registering in the UPMC Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Portal?

As a registered vendor within the UPMC Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Portal, your company will be visible to all our internal purchasing assets. These teams utilize the Web Portal to find Diverse Vendors to include before creating an RFx. Once your application is approved and your certificates remain active, your company, industry, certifications and contact information will all be visible to our purchasing team when an opportunity for your services arises.

Additionally, as an Active supplier in the portal you will receive all communications related to UPMC Supplier Diversity & Inclusion events. These events may include (but are not limited to) Fireside Chats, networking events, business development programs, and many more.

Do I have to be certified in order to register for the UPMD SDI Portal?

Yes. All vendors and suppliers must have a valid and active diverse certificate uploaded to their profile to remain an Active supplier.

What is the benefit of certification?

Certification will grant you access to our portal and can lead to business opportunities with UPMC. On a broader scale, certification grants your company access to a wider network of other diverse business entrepreneurs and the opportunity to be part of a pool of vendors that corporations (not just UPMC) can search for when they need services or products. Many certification organizations offer further resources, networking events, business development programs and conferences that can improve your company’s visibility to a broad range of corporations, large and small.

What certification does UPMC support?

UPMC accepts certification from organizations that have a process that is rigorous and that is well documented. The certification process must require a supplier to be 51% owned, operated and managed by an individual that is ethnic minority, woman, disabled, disadvantaged, veteran or LGBTQ. The process should include an onsite visit for verification and annual re-certifications. While we accept most diverse category certificates we do not accept HUBZone, SBA(8)a or SBE certificates alone.

I registered and received an email from UPMCSupplierDiversity@koryak.com, is this correct or is this spam?

This is a valid email address and not spam, Koryak is our partner that developed our current web portal. While the initial email may show up in your junk folder, we assure you that this email is correct and valid and not a phishing email.

Now that I’m registered, what next?

We are so happy to welcome you to the UPMC Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Web Portal! UPMC has a strong commitment to supporting diverse suppliers in our supplier base. Now that you are registered, our buying teams can easily locate your organization. As opportunities arise for your company’s services across our facilities team, they will be able to locate you in the web portal and connect accordingly.

Many of our contracts span multiple years. As such, there is a possibility that there may not be a gap in your area of service immediately. However, we encourage you to remain active in the Web Portal, attend our events and grow your capabilities in the meantime. Attending our networking events can be a great way to spread the word about your organization to key stakeholders within UPMC so that when those opportunities do arise, your company may be at the forefront of their minds.

What is/are my NAICS code(s) and how do I find them?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. It was developed to allow for a high level of comparability in business statistics among the three North American countries. NAICS is based on a production-oriented concept, meaning that it groups establishments into industries according to similarity in the processes used to produce goods or services.

If you are unsure of your NAICS code, for general information please navigate here

To identify the NAICS Code being used for a specific company, visit the US Company Lookup Tool by NAICS.com

To identify the proper code for your company, use the NAICS SEARCH TOOLS to identify the code that best reflects your primary business or revenue producing activity

I’m a Diverse Business Owner, but I’m not certified. Where can I pursue certification?

There are numerous places where one can pursue a diverse certification. We have provided a list of various certification agencies that you can pursue. Please note, this list is non-exhaustive and is Pennsylvania-centric (given that our primary locations are PA based). There are plenty of other city and state agencies specific to your region that offer certification that we have not included in our list for the sake of brevity. The introductory list of agencies is below:

List of Certifying Organizations

Free Certification

PA Unified Certification Program (PA UCP) PA Department of General Services (PA DGS)
  • Offers for free certification
    • SBE (Small Business Enterprise)
    • SDB (Small Diverse Business)
    • This certification is good to be eligible for Federal or federally funded contracts.
    • In order to receive an SDB certificate, a separate diverse certificate from an external third-party agency is required.
    • With a valid diverse certificate from a separate third-party organization, you can receive an SDB certificate from these certificate types:
      • MBE (Minority Business Enterprise)
      • WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise)
      • DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise)
      • VBE (Veteran Business Enterprise)
System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
  • National Certifying body
    • Offers for free certification
      • DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise)
      • MBE (Minority Business Enterprise)
      • WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise)
      • WOSB (Woman-Owned Small Business)
      • EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business)
      • VBE (Veteran Business Enterprise)
      • SBE (Small Business Enterprise)
      • HubZone, if applicable (Historically Underutilized Business Zone)
Small Business Association (SBA)
  • National certifying body
    • Offers for free certification
      • DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise)
      • WOSB (Woman-Owned Small Business)
      • SBA8(a)
      • SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

For Fee Certification

National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
  • EMSDC – Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council
    • Regional Affiliate
      • Covers PA, NJ & DE
    • Offers for fee certification
      • MBE (Minority Business Enterprise)
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
  • WBEC-East
    • Regional Council affiliate
      • Covers PA, NJ & DE
    • Offers for fee certification
      • WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise)
      • WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business)
National Women Business Owner’s Corporation (NWBOC)
  • National certifying body
  • Offers for fee certification
    • WBE (Woman-owned Business Enterprise)
    • WOSB (Woman-Owned Small Business)
    • EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business)
National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NAVOBA)
  • National certifying body
  • Offers for fee certification
    • VBE (Veteran’s Business Enterprise)
    • SDVBE (Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise)
National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
  • National certifying body
  • Offers for fee certification
    • VOB (Veteran Owned Business)
    • SDVOB (Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business)
Disability: IN (formerly U.S. Business Leadership Network-Disability Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Program)
  • National certifying body
  • Offers for fee certification
    • DOBE (Disability-Owned Business Enterprise)
    • V-DOBE (Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprise)
    • SDV-DOBE (Service-Disabled Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprise)
NGLCC

I’m a registered, certified Diverse Business owner. What are other useful SDI-related efforts in my area?

As a diverse business owner, there are lots of other Supplier Diversity & Inclusion related efforts both local to Pittsburgh and across the larger network.

Organizations:

Business Development Events:

  • Turner School of Construction Management

    • Overview

      Turner Construction Company, in partnership with UPMC, the University of Pittsburgh, Highmark Healthcare, Carnegie Mellon University, and OneValley. This FREE 9-week course is designed to prepare minority, women-owned, veteran/disabled, LGBTQ+, and small business contractors for future business opportunities. This prestigious education program has been uniquely designed to improve economic viability by enhancing managerial, technical and administrative skills. The courses will be engaging and include hands-on exercises that offer participants real-life work experience. Participants will also develop strategic business relationships throughout the industry.

      Who Should Participate

      We welcome participation from diverse, women-owned, veteran/disabled, LGBTQ+, and small business owners working as general contractors, subcontractors, construction managers, construction consultants and individuals who work closely with construction firms. Individuals enrolled in the program gain insights and meaningful tools that help them target their business for quality and growth and develop new, strategic business relationships. Please share this invitation with others who will benefit from this training program as well.

      Qualifications to Participate

      Must attend a minimum of 7 sessions in order to receive a Certificate of Completion. To be considered, your firm must have been in business for at least one year prior to registration and actively working with a contractor license. This program is only for local, minority-owned, women-owned, disabled veterans, LGBTQ+ and small emerging businesses.

  • SHARE

    • This is a one-of-a-kind networking opportunity connecting like-minded businesses, potential customers, diverse suppliers, and business partners for sourcing opportunities. With a mission of bringing together the region’s top corporations and institutions, connecting them with Diverse suppliers to expand opportunities and increase growth for the region's businesses, SHARE is a highly successful event that is continuously expanding and growing across our service areas within Pennsylvania.

      The annual SHARE event, created by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), grew out of a 2013 effort to increase economic opportunities for minorities by the Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable. The event was so successful that a collaborative planning committee, comprised of major corporations and organizations in the community, was formed to further promote the economic growth and development of diverse suppliers in the region.

  • UPMC Essentials for Success

    • A series of no-cost events and webinars designed to introduce businesses to the ways in which UPMC does business and provide the tools necessary to do business with large organizations, like UPMC. Attendees will learn about the process and receive materials to help improve their overall business acumen.