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<br />20 <br /> <br /> <br />The Diversity & Inclusion Team partnered with Indiana Toll Road and The South Bend Community School Corporation to launch the <br />first 2021 Vendor Opportunity Fair. The Office of D&I sent invitations to 2,000 statewide certified vendors to participate in the <br />successful event. One hundred seventeen registered attendees, seventeen exhibitors, and 61 different MWBE and Small Business <br />Owners. Event follow-up measures were twenty-two new registered vendors, six one-on-one meetings scheduled, and increased <br />partnerships with Prime and Sub-Contractors and the Local Diverse Chamber of Commerce. <br />Through Race and Gender-Neutral measures, certified Minority and Women-Owned -Owned Businesses can help bridge the income, <br />participation, and information gap to diversify the City of South Bend Labor Force. The Office of D&I will conduct more regular <br />scheduled vendor outreach events, provide information, address questions regarding upcoming opportunities, and facilitate <br />"matchmaking" sessions between prime and sub-contractors. <br />The City of South Bend honors certification status from the following agencies to achieve these goals and outcomes. The Office of <br />D&I continues building relationships with Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council, Indiana Dept. of Administration <br />(IDOA), Indiana Dept. of Transportation (INDOT), Great Lakes Women's Business Council (WBENC), and Indianapolis Office of <br />Minority & Women Business Development. Expanding Minority and Women-Owned Business certification will increase contract <br />opportunities and strengthen accountability measures to meet goals. The Office of D&I has established partnerships with the Black <br />Chamber of Commerce, South Bend Black Chamber of Commerce, Latino American Chamber of Commerce (LACC), University of <br />Notre Dame, Spark Program at St. Mary's College, South Bend/Elkhart Regional Partnership, North Central Indiana Small Business <br />Center at Indiana University. <br />The Office of D&I will provide innovative solutions to increase the utilization of race and gender-neutral measures, engage with <br />community organizations to promote business networking, understand local demand, and improve the opportunity for prime <br />contractors. <br />Note Source: <br />U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics <br />U.S. Census Bureau