Certified SB/DVBE Spend Data: What Businesses Should Know
State procurement data can feel overwhelming, but tools like the Department Spend dashboard help businesses see where opportunities exist and plan accordingly. The California Department of General Services (DGS) developed Statewide Procurement Data Dashboards (SPDDs) aimed at providing easy access to State governmental procurement information and transparency through online graphical reports. The SPDDs were developed based on Executive Order B-12-11, established by then-Governor of California Edmond G. Brown Jr. in 2011. The SPDDs provide businesses with data resources that allow them to make sound business decisions.
There are six dashboards under the SPDD: Department Spend, UNSPSC Spend, Leverage Procurement Agreement Spend, Top 10 Department Spend, Top 10 UNSPSC Spend, and Certified SB/ DVBE Spend Comparison. This article is going to focus on the Department Certified SB/DVBE Spend Comparison dashboard.
The Department Certified SB/DVBE Spend Comparison dashboard is a graphical report on the State of California’s overall procurement spending each fiscal year. It is a tool used to search for and compare certified firms vs. non-certified firms state spending using UNSPSC.
The landing page of the Certified SB/DVBE Spend Comparison dashboard has two filters on the left side of the page: select a fiscal year and search by UNSPSC number or UNSPSC description. The fiscal year defaults to the most recent full fiscal year. Also, the graphic report of the certified SB/DVBE spend comparison provides viewers with the numeric UNSPSC, UNSPSC description, total spend, percent of total spend, purchase order line frequency, and spend overtime in column format. Keep in mind that the landing page also defaults to the total spend and the percent of total spend in descending order with the applicable UNSPSC codes and descriptions on the left. Additionally, the total spend and the percent of spend for the year is at the bottom of their respective column.
Each of the columns except for the UNSPSC Description can be sorted in descending or ascending order by hovering the mouse over the column header (the blue area) then left click on the small black arrowhead. If the arrowhead is pointing up, the data is in ascending order and if it is pointing downward the data is in decreasing order. The UNSPSC Description can be sorter in alphabetical order using the same method. Additionally, the scroll bar on the right side of the graphic can be used to scroll down to view the entire dataset for each UNSPSC. Lastly, the date of the last update is located in the lower left corner of the page.
How to Conduct a Search
Searches are conducted from the landing page. A search can be conducted in one or two ways. First, you can begin a search by selecting a fiscal year and/or UNSPSC number or description, which is shown in figure two below. A search cannot be conducted without choosing fiscal year; However, a search can be conducted without choosing a UNSPSC code or description. Also, if a fiscal year is chosen that has not ended the data displayed in the graphic will show year-to-date information. The second way to conduct a search is to simply right-click on the UNSPSC numeric or description and then click the step 2 “Spend Details by Certified and Non-Certified Vendor” prompt. For this example, UNSPSC 81101503 was chosen as shown in the graphic below.
The drill through lists the spending details in two categories: certified and non-certified vendors within the selected UNSPSC. The certified vendors are listed first and the non-certified are listed second. Each contract lists the following for both categories: UNSPSC numeric, UNSPSC description, total spend, percent of total spend, PO line frequency, vendor certification, vendor name, and spend over time. The bottom of columns “total spend” and “percent of total spend” for each category provide the overall total spend and percent of total. Again, the scroll bar on the right side of the graphic can be used to scroll down to view the entire dataset for each contract. There is a separate scroll bar for each category.
This data can be used to:
- Obtain an awareness of the spending opportunities within your business’ UNSPSC and certification status.
- Identify competitors.
- Contracting spending with certified and non-certified vendors
- Identify networking opportunities.
- Certified businesses can market to non-certified vendors seeking subcontracting opportunities.
- Non-certified vendors can market to certified vendors to obtain SB/DVBE compliance.
- Determine how your business measures against the competition.
- Determine if there is equitable SB/DVBE spending across UNSPSC.
Understanding where and how the State of California spends procurement dollars can help businesses make more informed and strategic decisions. Rather than relying solely on bid notifications or generalized market research, the Certified SB/DVBE Spend Comparison Dashboard allows businesses to analyze actual state spending patterns by UNSPSC category and certification status.
This information can help businesses identify procurement opportunities with high spending activity, determine whether certified or non-certified firms dominate a particular market sector, and evaluate the level of competition within specific industries. Businesses can also use the data to identify agencies and procurement categories where SB/DVBE participation may be underutilized, creating potential opportunities for market entry and growth.
Additionally, the dashboard can support business development and outreach strategies by helping firms identify potential prime contractors, subcontracting opportunities, teaming partners, and networking targets. Certified firms may use the data to market their certification value to non-certified vendors seeking SB/DVBE participation, while non-certified firms can use the information to identify certified partners for compliance and subcontracting purposes.
Ultimately, this dashboard transforms procurement data into actionable business intelligence that can help vendors position themselves better within California’s procurement marketplace.
If you are looking for help with government contracting or want no-cost help to find CA State contracting opportunities, please contact your Norcal APEX Accelerator counselor for assistance or apply for services today!
Authored by: Indria Gillespie, Norcal APEX Accelerator Procurement Specialist
If you have more questions, please contact us at info@apexnorcal.org or (707) 267 – 7561
