Office of the Director

I am pleased to announce, in conjunction with a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the implementation of Rhode Island’s program to encourage and expand business opportunities for qualified businesses owned and operated by persons with disabilities or employing persons with disabilities.

Effective immediately, all state agencies are hereby notified that, in accordance with RIGL 37-2.2-3, when goods and services are available from certified Rhode Island Disability Business Enterprises (DBEs) whose workforce consists of more than 75% persons with disabilities or certified nonprofit rehabilitation facilities, the state will purchase such goods and services, subject to the following:

• All participating businesses or rehabilitation facilities must be certified by the Disability Business Enterprise Committee of the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities.
• Only businesses, products and services listed in the official Disability Business Enterprise Catalog published by the Commission will qualify for preferential purchases.
• Only products and services which meet the specific requirements of the expending agency will be subject to preferential purchases.

Although a copy of the Catalog is attached to this document, to facilitate implementation of this program, the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities has published the Disability Business Enterprise Catalog on its Website (www.gcd.state.ri.us). The Division of Purchases has established a Disability Business Page on the Rhode Island Vendor Information Program (RIVIP) website (www.purchasing.state.ri.us) which links to the catalog.

cc:           B. Cooper, Executive Secretary, Governor’s Commission on Disabilities

                S. McAllister, Executive Director

                L. Franklin, Controller