The Journal

Reporting on supplier diversity.

Working coverage of certifications, corporate procurement, federal contracting, financing, and the operators making each work for diverse-owned businesses. Every piece checked against primary sources.

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Article

Article · 6 min

100 Days Past the 8(a) Audit Deadline: A May 2026 Compliance Status Check

January 19 was the largest enforcement deadline in the 8(a) program's 55-year history. We covered the rule structure when it landed. 102 …

May 1, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Salesforce supplier: the supplier diversity on-ramp that actually exists

Salesforce buys from thousands of vendors and runs a real supplier diversity accelerator. Here's the actual on-ramp, which certifications carry weight, and …

May 1, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the South Carolina government

South Carolina runs its purchasing through SCEIS, posts bids on SCBO, and certifies minority firms through a state division. Here's the order …

Apr 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) diverse supplier

PwC registers new suppliers through a free portal its Procurement team reviews. How the portal works, where certifications help, and how to …

Apr 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 9 min

How to become a Procter & Gamble supplier (and how P&G's supplier diversity program works)

P&G doesn't have a single 'apply' button. You send a profile through pgsupplier.com, get found through SupplierOne, and certification helps. Here's the …

Apr 29, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a PNC supplier: the procurement portal and what their supplier diversity program actually wants

PNC runs supplier registration through a portal, not a sales rep you can cold-call. Here's how the Supplier Engagement & Development program …

Apr 28, 2026 · Will Moss

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the Rhode Island government

Selling to Rhode Island runs through two systems: Ocean State Procures for vendor registration and bidding, and DEDI for diverse-business certification. Here's …

Apr 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Pfizer supplier (and how its supplier diversity program actually works)

Pfizer buys through the SAP Business Network and runs a long-standing supplier diversity program. Here's how registration actually works, what they buy, …

Apr 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the Pennsylvania government

Pennsylvania runs vendor registration, a Small Diverse Business program, and its bid board through one agency. Here's the order to do it …

Apr 24, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a PepsiCo supplier (and how its supplier diversity program actually works)

Registering with PepsiCo takes an afternoon. Becoming a supplier they actually buy from takes a certification, a real category fit, and a …

Apr 24, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a PayPal supplier: inside PayPal's supplier diversity program

PayPal runs a real supplier diversity program with a low-friction front door: one email and a capability statement. Here's who qualifies, which …

Apr 23, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Northrop Grumman diverse supplier

Northrop Grumman spends more than $2 billion annually with small and diverse businesses. This guide covers registration, certifications, sourcing categories, and what …

Apr 22, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the Oregon government

Two free steps put a diverse or small business in front of Oregon buyers: register on OregonBuys, then get COBID-certified. Here's the …

Apr 21, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Nike supplier (and get into Nike's supplier diversity program)

Nike buys from small and diverse-owned businesses across marketing, tech, construction, and services. Registering in its Business Diversity & Inclusion portal is …

Apr 21, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the Oklahoma government

Selling to Oklahoma runs through one office and one portal. Here's how to register as a bidder, get certified for the path …

Apr 20, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Nestlé USA supplier (and get into its supplier diversity program)

Nestlé USA buys from thousands of vendors and runs a supplier diversity program with a specific front door. Here's where to register, …

Apr 20, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 7 min

How to become a Morgan Stanley diverse supplier

Morgan Stanley operates a formal supplier diversity program with NMSDC and WBENC corporate membership. This guide explains which certifications are recognized, which …

Apr 17, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Mondelez International supplier (and get into its supplier diversity program)

Mondelez buys across seven procurement categories and runs an Economic Inclusion and Supplier Diversity program for certified diverse businesses. Here's the realistic …

Apr 16, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the Ohio government

Selling to the State of Ohio runs through one portal and a set of certifications most owners never finish. Here's the order …

Apr 15, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 9 min

How to become a Microsoft supplier: what the procurement process actually looks like

Registering with Microsoft is free, but it doesn't get you a contract. Here's how Microsoft procurement actually works, which certifications it recognizes, …

Apr 15, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 10 min

WBENC Certification: The Complete 2026 Guide for Women-Owned Businesses

WBENC certification is the gold standard for women-owned businesses seeking Fortune 500 contracts. Here's everything you need to know: requirements, fees, documents, …

Apr 14, 2026 · Priya Patel

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to become a Merck supplier (and what its supplier diversity program actually asks for)

Merck spends more than 10% of its purchasing budget with diverse and small businesses. Here's the real registration portal, the certifications that …

Apr 14, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide

Guide · 8 min

How to do business with the North Dakota government

North Dakota runs its buying through one portal, NDBuys, and getting on the bidders list is free. The state has no minority …

Apr 13, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Article · 9 min

Veteran-Owned Businesses Are Winning Big in Federal Contracting: Here's How to Join Them

The VA awarded over $10 billion to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses last year—exceeding goals by 4x. Here's how veteran entrepreneurs are capitalizing on …

Apr 13, 2026 · Mario Bailey

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