Mission
The mission of the Supplier Diversity Program is to increase the opportunity for diversity in the companies doing business with Knox County by encouraging participation through site visits, providing education and support regarding policies and procedures, actively recruiting all interested suppliers, and ensuring equal opportunity in all procurement related activities.
Mentor Protégé Mission
The Mentor-Protégé Program was designed to increase minority participation for sub-contractors seeking to be a part of a County project, and to see relationships and networks being built among all of the participants. It is great to see large companies helping smaller companies become successful.
A mentor can provide a wide range of assistance including, but not limited to, technical and management assistance, financial assistance in account procedures and tax reporting, offerings of subcontracts, and assistance in the performance of prime contracts with the County government in the form of joint venture arrangements. The mentor and protégé together decide on the length of their relationship, and either party can terminate the arrangement with 30 days notice.
To qualify, mentors and protégés must meet a short list of qualifications, including having a Knox County business license and to be current on federal, state, county and city taxes. Applications are available through the Knox County Purchasing Division, Supplier Diversity Coordinator, Robert Minter, 1000 North Central Street, Suite 100, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917, 865-215-5756. An application is also available online at http://knoxcounty.org/supplierdiversity/
- August 5, 2008
Veterans Business Conference Set in Oak Ridge
The Y-12 National Security Complex and The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services Procurement Technical Assistance Center (UT CIS-PTAC) join with a host of East Tennessee agencies for the second annual East Tennessee Veterans Business Conference. The theme of this conference is Increasing Opportunities for Veteran-Owned Businesses....
- August 26, 2008 - 3rd Annual
"Doing Business With Your Local Governments" Conference. 
