New Meridian
Supplier Diversity Policy

Statement of Purpose

The primary goal of New Meridian’s Supplier Diversity Program is to provide opportunities to diverse suppliers and service providers that satisfy our procurement and contractual standards and those of the customers we serve. Secondarily, can support our customers in achieving their own diversity goals. At New Meridian, we believe that supplier diversity can provide us with a significant position of strength in which to operationalize our values and support our customers and the markets we serve. New Meridian works to create mutually beneficial business relationships with diverse suppliers and service providers that strengthen the communities in which we operate. We are committed to developing mutually beneficial relationships with:

• Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBE)
• Woman-owned Business Enterprises (WBE)
• Disability-owned Business Enterprises
• Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB)
• Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB Zone)
• Veteran-owned Businesses (VBE)
• Service-disabled Veteran-owned Businesses (SDVBE)

Maximum opportunity will be afforded to diverse suppliers and service providers to participate with us as suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors of goods and services. New Meridian believes this program has the potential of creating better partners, stronger customers, and economic growth for our business partners, and our customers and employees. The policy ensures strict compliance with all regulatory agency requirements as well as with federal, state, and local procurement regulations and programs.

We invite opportunities to collaborate with and support the advocacy agencies that support the growth, development, and certification of diverse companies, including:

• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
• National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
• Disability:IN
• National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)

Policy

New Meridian emphasizes diversity in its hiring practices and celebrates diversity in its business practices. New Meridian’s departments are encouraged to identify and include diverse suppliers and service providers in their business planning and in their procurement processes. Diverse suppliers and service providers that demonstrate the ability to add value, provide high-quality goods and services that are competitively priced, reliable, and aligned with our strategic business model should be included in our sourcing and procurement process. This policy reflects New Meridian’s desire to create opportunity for diverse suppliers and service providers to market their products and services to New Meridian and to encourage New Meridian to offer opportunities to such suppliers.

Responsibilities

New Meridian encourages all departments to explore opportunities to identify diverse suppliers and service providers to compete for business and from whom to obtain goods and services whenever possible.

Procedures for Identifying and Engaging Diverse Suppliers

New Meridian will participate with national, regional and local initiatives in order to maintain awareness of resources and will encourage diverse suppliers and service providers to meet with New Meridian to review product/service specifications, and review supplier qualifications including licenses, certification, and insurance requirements as appropriate.

Categories of goods and services we purchase and/or supply pursuant to our responses to RFPs include, but are not limited to:

• Professional services
• Equipment
• Marketing
• Content development

We aim to reach our Supplier Diversity Program goals by:

• Actively seeking out and identifying certified diverse suppliers and service providers that can provide competitive, high- quality goods and services whose business model is aligned with our business strategy and continuously expanding that network.
• When advertising for subcontractors, emphasizing our interest in attracting and working with diverse suppliers and service providers who can meet our customers’ needs.
• When evaluating a diverse supplier’s technical capabilities and experience, being sure to account for the fact that such firms that such firms may have historically been denied the equal opportunity to demonstrate both in a fair and equitable manner.
• Training and encouraging our purchasers to include small diverse business vendors in the purchasing process where there is alignment with our business needs
• Monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of our supplier diversity efforts.

Procedures for Working With Diverse Suppliers (Training/Mentoring Program)

• As New Meridian adds diverse suppliers to its Supplier Diversity database it will endeavor to work with such candidates to improve their readiness for being included in New Meridian proposals to customers.
• In every proposal that New Meridian creates it works closely with its subcontractors and offers technical and management assistance and advice to its subcontractors to ensure that they are best positioned for success.
• Should a vendor not be selected by New Meridian, we stand ready to review the reasons behind the decision and offer mentoring and training going forward to increase their chances for future selection.