The Memphis Office of Resources and Enterprise:
Connecting Businesses
Resources & Opportunities
to Make Memphis a “City of Choice” for All
Mayor A C Wharton, Jr.
CITY OF MEMPHIS-CITY OF CHOICE
Five-Year Strategic Management and Fiscal Plan 2012-2017
RE IMAG(E) INING MEMPHIS – A CITY OF CHIOCE
Game Changing Priorities and Strategies
VISION
Memphis is a city of choice.
In Memphis, we create safe and vibrant places for people to
live, learn, work and play. Our economy grows prosperity and
opportunity for all. We invest in our young people so that
talent is developed and retained. We advance a culture of
excellence in government so that we are responsive,
accountable, and successful at meeting core needs.
CITY OF MEMPHIS-CITY OF CHOICE
Five-Year Strategic Management and Fiscal Plan 2012-2017
RE IMAG(E) INING MEMPHIS – A CITY OF CHIOCE
Game Changing Priorities and Strategies
PRIORITIES
1. Create safe and vibrant neighborhoods
2. Grow prosperity and opportunity for all
3. Invest in our young people
4. Advance a culture of excellence in
government
Executive Summary
Poverty in Memphis Challenges the
Entire Community
Overall Poverty Rate: 26.9%
African-American Poverty Rate: 31.9%
Hispanic or Latino Poverty Rate: 37.4%
Children in Poverty: 39.6%
Executive Summary
City of Choice Strategic
Imperative:
Grow Minority and Women
Business and
Wealth Creation
Executive Summary
City Leadership for Minority Business
Development is Imperative
With Black/African American population at 63.3% and
Hispanics or Latino population at 6.5%, Female
population at 52.5%, and MWBEs are only 1.3% of Total
Business Receipts.
Total City of Memphis purchasing from MWBEs started
at 8% before MBDOC began in 2011, now 34% of
spending goes to MWBE companies.
2000 & 2010 Disparity Studies, and Wharton Transition
Plan, identified need for City of Memphis to facilitate a
coordinated strategy to drive growth in minority business
receipts…beginning with City of Memphis purchasing
Executive Summary
Leveling the Playing Field =
the Opportunity To Compete
Not a subsidy…
Not affirmative action…
Winning contractors must offer the
best value – highest quality at the
best price
Executive Summary
Stakeholders Agree on
SMWBE Challenges and Needs
SMWBE’s are challenged with lack of access to capital;
exclusion from major new business opportunities; and lack of
awareness of support services.
Support services for SMWBE’s are fragmented and
uncoordinated with no “front door”
No shared community goals or vision for achieving increase in
SMWBE business receipts
Many perceive that government is not held accountable for
complying with minority participation goals or fostering a
minority/small business development
CITY OF MEMPHIS-CITY OF CHOICE
Five-Year Strategic Management and Fiscal Plan 2012-2017
RE IMAG(E) INING MEMPHIS – A CITY OF CHIOCE
Game Changing Priorities and Strategies
Establishing MORE
Mayor’s Executive Order
Supports increased efforts by the City of Memphis to engage
minority, woman-owned, and small business enterprises
Creates the Memphis Office of Resources and Enterprise
Memorandum of Understanding with City Vendors and
Key Partners
Outlines goals and procedures for increasing participation by
MBEs, WBEs, SBEs.
Designates MORE as primary engine to execute initiatives.
CITY OF MEMPHIS-CITY OF CHOICE
Five-Year Strategic Management and Fiscal Plan 2012-2017
RE IMAG(E) INING MEMPHIS – A CITY OF CHIOCE
Game Changing Priorities and Strategies
Establishing MORE
Staff Accountability
Include attainment of minority purchasing goals in
performance expectations and reviews
Data-Driven Process for Purchasing Goals
Identify feasible, strategic opportunities that are specific to
individual divisions (vs. “across the board” goals)
Creates a roadmap for cultivating minority business growth to
meet specific divisional needs and opportunities.
Executive Summary
What MORE Delivers
Set coordinated strategy for City agenda relating to minority and
women-owned business development
Facilitate coordination and collaboration among city and community
stakeholders
Work with Memphis Business Diversity Oversight Commission
(MBDOC) to review City purchases and develop procurement goals
based on opportunities for SMWBEs
Maintain database of viable local SMWBEs to match them with City
procurement opportunities
Drive increased community support resources for SMWBE growth
that match City procurement goals
Regularly communicate information, progress and achievements to
partners and general public.
Executive Summary
Collaboration…Not duplication!
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alt. Consulting
Accion
Black Business Association
City of Memphis Office of Contract Compliance
City of Memphis Renaissance Business Center
Community Lift
Downtown Memphis Commission
Economic Development Growth Engine
Emerge Memphis
FedEx Institute of Technology University of Memphis
Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Home Based Business Chamber
Innova
Launch Your City, Inc
Latina Memphis
LeMoyne-Owne College Community Development Corporation
Memphis Area Association of Governments
Memphis Area Minority Contractors Association
Memphis Urban League
Memphis Bio Works Foundation
Memphis Hispanic
Minority Business Development Agency
National Association of Women Business Owners
Executive Summary
Collaboration…Not duplication!
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Shield, Inc
Service Corps of Retired Executives
SEEDCO
Small Business Administration
State of Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development
Tennessee Business Small Development Center
The Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum
Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council
Tri State Bank
U.B. Black Chamber, Inc
WBEC South Business Success Center
WBEC South
Executive Summary
MORE – Helping Your Business Connect with
Qualified Minority and Women-Owned Businesses
Identify, facilitate and communicate purchasing and
partnering opportunities with minority businesses.
Grow the pool of minority and women-owned
businesses offering high quality products and
services.
Increase community prosperity, purchasing power,
and quality of life.
Executive Summary
Questions?
Executive Summary
Contact Information:
Alandas Dobbins, Director
Memphis Office of Resource and Enterprise
(MORE)
700 Adams Avenue
Memphis, TN 38105
901-544-1847
E-mail: alandas.dobbins@memphistn.gov