Supplier Diversity (Inclusion and Diversity) is central to Cisco in fulfilling our goal of being the employer and partner of choice. As part of our vision, we have the opportunity to utilize diverse suppliers within our supply chain and create economic vitality with our customers, suppliers and communities.

The Global Supplier Diversity Spend Commitment is intended to provide universal guidance to all Cisco business functions and employees. This commitment has been designed to support our initiatives to Supplier Diversity, procurement best practices and standards.

We believe a diverse, multicultural supply chain is a source of innovation and is good for business. In many countries, governments are focusing on supplier diversity and requiring it of businesses. For example, in the United States, a company that provides products and services to government organizations or public utilities must demonstrate its efforts to reach out to diverse suppliers, including:

• Small businesses
• Veteran-owned small businesses
• Service-disabled or disabled veteran-owned small businesses
• Small, disadvantaged businesses
• Women- or minority-owned small businesses or enterprises

Our services include:

• Participating in global outreach programs
• Collaborating and empowering suppliers
• Accelerating supplier opportunities

For more detailed information about our services, download Cisco's Supplier Diversity: Supplier Advantage quick reference guide.

Past Recognition and Future Plans

Cisco has been recognized for our supplier diversity efforts by DiversityBusiness.com. Cisco ranks as one of the top 50 U.S. companies providing multicultural business opportunities, based on feedback received from more than 650,000 women- and minority-owned businesses.

Feel free to contact the team if you have any questions: sd_other@external.cisco.com

Awards and Recognition for Cisco Supplier Diversity Program

Global Organization Links

• Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC)

  CAMSC operates as a private sector-led, non profit membership organization governed by a board of Directors; composed of major multinational corporations operating in Canada. The organization aims to boost economic development efforts and employment. The council is now accepting new corporate memberships from across Canada.

• Minority Supplier Development in China (MSD China)

  MSD China is the first national non-profit membership organization dedicated to enhance the development of China’s minority-owned business through connecting minority suppliers to corporations for procurement opportunities on mutually beneficial basis. Our work is to establish a platform for communications and business exchange between minority suppliers and procuring corporations, and to develop the minority suppliers into competitive and successful regional and global suppliers.

• Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK)

  Welcome to Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK) is a private sector led, not-for-profit membership organisation created to provide a direct link between its corporate members and ethnic minority businesses to enable the building of mutually beneficial business relationships.

• WEConnect Europe

  WEConnect is the leading UK supplier diversity initiative spearheading the connection of women-owned business and multinational corporations. It is the UK's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to global and national corporations and government bodies.

• WEConnect India

  The WEConnect Indian initiative aims to connect women owned enterprises to corporations under their "Supplier Diversity and Inclusion" programs. WEConnect is working with Ernst & Young on the development of a national certification process. The Initiative leverages strategic relationships with leading India organizations: NASSCOM, CII, SEWA, eMERG and MAWE.

• WEConnect China

  In China, WEConnect International is working with local support to certify women owned companies in the Beijing and Shanghai regions. Women entrepreneurs throughout China who own 51% or more of their companies may self-register to become part of the WEConnect Global Network.

• WEConnect Peru

  In Peru, WEConnect International is working with USAID Peru and the The U.S. Department of State Pathways Access Initiative (PAI) to support U.S. corporations seeking supplier diversity and inclusion in Latin America by identifying, training and certifying women owned businesses that qualify as diverse suppliers of goods and services. While supporting U.S. corporations, the long-term objective of the PAI is to increase the access Peruvian women owned businesses have to new markets so that they can compete for contracts and increase their economic productivity.

• WEConnect International

  WEConnect International is a corporate led non-profit that helps to empower women business owners to succeed in global markets.

• SASDC

  The South African Supplier Diversity Council (SASDC) is a member-directed, not-for-profit organisation.

• Supply Nation

  Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC) is Australia's premier business-to-business membership body dedicated to growing diversity within the supply chain.

Partner Operations Diversity Forum

At conferences and events, our Cisco Partner Operations Diversity Forums connect Cisco Partners and VARs with private face-to-face meetings with Cisco Executives and Fortune 500 representatives of qualified organizations and businesses to discuss potential opportunities.

This is a great opportunity for our certified diverse partners to:

These forums enable us to hear from you directly and to share the tools, programs, and resources to help you uncover new market revenue streams.

Go to our events calendar to see when our next Partner Operations Diversity Forum is taking place.

Supplier Registration

Thank you for your interest in the Supplier Diversity Program. Diverse suppliers can register with Cisco by utilizing the Vendor Management Portal. Diverse suppliers must be certified by a third party authority in order to classify as diverse (see definitions). The data in the portal is made available to the Strategic Spend Management teams, buyers, contract managers, and sourcing council leads.

If you would like to register as a diverse vendor in US, go to the Vendor Management Portal

If you have additional questions, please review the FAQ page or submit feedback to the Supplier Diversity Team.

What happens after registration?

• The attached AfterRegistration.pdf provides information relating to what happens after you have registered your company.
• The supplier is added to a Supplier Diversity Database which is made available to sourcing managers. Sourcing managers regularly review the database when they have an opportunity to procure a product or service. If an opportunity to use a product or service arises, a Cisco representative will contact the supplier.
• Specific information about supplier’s company will be forwarded to the appropriate Cisco sourcing manager.
• If contacted by the Cisco Strategic Spend Management Department / WW Supply Chain Management to become a Cisco supplier, you must be certified by a third party authority. The sourcing manager will help you through this process. This does not guarantee that your business will be issued a purchase order or contract. The purpose of this program is to ensure that a wide variety of firms have the opportunity to compete for supplying goods and services to Cisco. A record of your business will be retained by Cisco. The database will then be accessed if the need again arises, and Cisco will contact you directly.

Supplier Diversity Definitions

This is a list of definitions used throughout this web site and the forms.
If you have additional questions, please review the FAQ page or submit feedback to the Supplier Diversity Team.

• BUSINESS TYPE
• REPRESENTATION
• ETHNICITY
• NAICS
• ADDITIONAL REFERENCE INFORMATION/WEB SITES

LARGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE: A large business is a domestic firm that does not meet the small business size standards per the definition in Small Business Enterprise below. Businesses should contact the U.S. Small Business Administration to determine appropriate North American Industry Classification (NAICS) codes and size standard. The threshold for number of employees and revenue vary depending on the product or service.

SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE: Means a concern including it's affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR Part 121 (reference Federal Acquisition Regulations, part 19.102). Businesses should contact the U.S. Small Business Administration to determine appropriate North American Industry Classification (NAICS) codes and size standard. The threshold for number of employees and revenue vary depending on the product or service.

GOVERNMENT OR NON-PROFIT: Means a government agency or an organization that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

FOREIGN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE: Means a subcontractor organized or existing under the laws of a country other than the United States. The United States means the 50 states and the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other place subject to U.S. jurisdiction, but does not include leased bases.

WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS: Means a business which is at least 51% owned by one or more woman; or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more women; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women (reference FAR 2.101). Businesses must be certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS: Means a business which is at least 51% owned and operated by an individual(s) who are U.S. citizens and their ancestry is African-American, Subcontinent Asian-American, Native-American, Asian Pacific-American, or Hispanic-American. Business must be certified by the National Minority Supplier Development Council, or one of its regional councils. Foreign-owned firms operating in the U.S. are not included in this definition.

VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS: Means a business concern which is not less than 51% owned by one or more veterans as defined at 38 U.S.C. 101 (2) or, in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more veterans; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more veterans (reference FAR 2.101).

SERVICE-DISABLED-VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS: Means a business not less than 51% of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans or in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more service-disabled veterans, or in the case of a veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such veteran. Service-disabled veteran means a veteran, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101 (2), with a disability that is service-connected, 38 U.S.C. 101 (6).

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS: Means an offeror that represents, as part of its offer, that it is a small business under the size standard applicable to the acquisition; and either: it has received certification by the Small Business Administration as a small disadvantaged business concern consistent with 13 CFR part 124, subpart B, and: no material change in disadvantaged ownership and control has occurred since its certification; where the concern is owned by one or more disadvantaged individuals, the net worth of each individual upon whom the certification is based does not exceed $750,000 after taking into account the applicable exclusions set forth at 13 CFR 124.104(c)(2); and it is identified, on the date of its representation, as a certified small business concern in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database.

HUBZONE SMALL BUSINESS: Means a business located in a historically underutilized business zone, which is an area located within one or more qualified census tracts, qualified non-metropolitan counties, or lands within the external boundaries of an Indian reservation. Status as a qualified HUBZone small business concern is determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in accordance with 13 CFR part 126. If the SBA determines that a concern is a qualified HUBZone small business concern, it will issue a certification to that effect and will add the concern to the List of Qualified HUBZone Small Business Concerns on its Internet web site at www.sba.gov/hubzone.

Definition for OTHER: Any other individual certified as disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration.

NAICS is the North American Industry Classification System. The system was developed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to provide comparable statistics across the three countries. NAICS enables government and business analysts to compare industrial production statistics collected and published in the three North American Free Trade Agreement countries. NAICS also provides for increased comparability with the International Standard Industrial Classification System (ISIC, Revision 3), developed and maintained by the United Nations.

SBA's size standards define whether a business entity is small and, thus, eligible for Government programs and preferences reserved for ``small business" concerns. Size standards have been established for types of economic activity, or industry, generally under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

• Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
• System for Award Management (SAM)
• Federal Acquisition Circulars (FAC) amends the FAR to require contractor registration in CCR.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Defense, the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration have taken steps to simplify the federal contracting process by creating an integrated database of small businesses that want to do business with the government.

The integration of PRO-Net and DOD's Central Contractor Registration (CCR) databases has created one portal for entering and searching small business sources. This integration assists small businesses with marketing their goods and services to the federal government. The integration began on Jan 1, 2004.

Registration in CCR is now a requirement for federal contracts. On Jan 1, 2004, CCR assumed all of PRO-Net's search capabilities and functions. Small businesses will no longer need to manually register in both PRO-Net and CCR.

Procuring agencies and contracting officers who relied on PRO-Net as the authoritative source for vendors that are certified in SBA's 8(a) Business Development program, HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program and Small Disadvantaged Business program will now access this information through CCR. All of the search options and information that existed in PRO-Net will now be found at the CCR Dynamic Small Business Search site. Within SBA, PRO-Net has been superseded by the Small Business Source System (SBSS), an internal database of firms certified by SBA under the 8(a) Business Development and HUBZone programs, and as Small Disadvantage Businesses. The SBSS will populate those fields in CCR. The SBSS will automatically review the NAICS codes supplied by a firm and perform calculations against each NAICS code size standard to determine which NAICS codes the firm qualifies as a small business, based on employment and revenue information entered into CCR. For more information, please visit the CCR Web site.

The Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary vendor database for the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, Department of Transportation (DoT), and Department of Treasury.

Both current and potential government vendors are required to register in CCR in order to do be awarded contracts by the DoD, NASA, DoT and Treasury. Vendors are required to complete a one-time registration to provide basic information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. Vendors must update or renew their registration annually to maintain an active status.

The links on this web site are provided for information and reference only and do not constitute endorsement by Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco has no control over these links and is not responsible for any content on these web sites.

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FAQs

Why do I need to register my company? How do I become a registered diverse supplier? Where can I find information on becoming a diverse supplier? What types of companies can register with Supplier Diversity? Once the company is registered with Cisco does this mean that we will get awarded some services? Who can I contact if my registration application is taking too long to approve? How long will it take for my application to be processed? Why was my supplier Registration application denied and who can I contact? What should I do if the system does not allow me to register or complete my registration? What do I need to do after my company is registered? Who registers in CCR? Q: Why do I need to register my company? A: Becoming a Cisco Registered diverse supplier is the first step on your path to getting the potential rewards of the Cisco Supplier Diversity Program. This registration establishes your relationship with the Supplier Diversity Program and is a pre-requisite for applying for potential procurement opportunities available to diverse suppliers. Return to Top Q: How do I become a registered diverse supplier? Where can I find information on becoming a diverse supplier? A: In order to register your company, go to the registration page. You can find information on becoming a diverse supplier by going to the Supplier Diversity Home Page. Return to Top Q: What types of companies can register with Supplier Diversity? A: The Supplier Diversity Registration Program is only for companies that fit one or more of the following categories: Business Type: LARGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE and one of the below Representations SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE Representation: WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS SERVICE-DISABLED-VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS HUBZONE SMALL BUSINESS Ethnicity: AFRICAN-AMERICAN-OWNED SUBCONTINENT-ASIAN-AMERICAN OWNED NATIVE-AMERICAN-OWNED ASIAN-PACIFIC-AMERICAN-OWNED HISPANIC-AMERICAN-OWNED The definitions will discuss these categories in more detail.Then register your company with the registration form. Return to Top Q: Once the company is registered with Cisco does this mean that we will get awarded some services? A: No, not necessarily. Registering will allow your company to be included in the potential supplier database, so if a procurement opportunity arises that matches your products and/or services you may be contacted to participate in the proposal process. Return to Top Q: Who can I contact if my registration application is taking too long to approve? How long will it take for my application to be processed? A: The complete process from registration -> to certification validation -> to approval may take as long as 30 days, depending on the completeness, accuracy, and availability of your company information. After 30 days, feedback can be sent to Supplier Diversity. Return to Top Q: Why was my supplier Registration application denied and who can I contact? A: Registration may be denied if the company does not fall into at least one of the proper categories, if it is incomplete, or if your company lacks the appropriate certifications associated with the appropriate category. Return to Top Q: What should I do if the system does not allow me to register or complete my registration? A: Submit feedback to the Supplier Diversity Team for assistance. Return to Top Q: What do I need to do after my company is registered? A: Follow the registration through to approval, check the Supplier Diversity Home Page for upcoming potential procurement opportunities, and most importantly, continue to build relationships with Cisco folks! Return to Top Q: Who registers in CCR? A: According to the DFARS 204.7302, NASA, DoT and Treasury FAR Supplements prospective vendors must be registered in CCR prior to the award of a contract; basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchase agreement. FAR clause 52.232-33 requires registration for payment Prime contractors are not required to have their subcontractors register in CCR. If a prime's subcontractor wants to bid directly for contracts with the Government, they should register in the CCR. EFT and assignment of claims as stated FAR 52.232-33 Para. H.: EFT and assignment of claims. If the Contractor assigns the proceeds of this contract as provided for in the assignment of claims terms of this contract, the Contractor shall require as a condition of any such assignment, that the assignee shall register in the CCR database and shall be paid by EFT in accordance with the terms of this clause. In all respects, the requirements of this clause shall apply to the assignee as if it were the Contractor. EFT information that shows the ultimate recipient of the transfer to be other than the Contractor, in the absence of a proper assignment of claims acceptable to the Government, is incorrect EFT information within the meaning of paragraph (d) of this clause." All Government Agencies that perform contract work. Return to Top