The National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) and the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship announced plans to collaborate on a range of research and educational initiatives in support of supplier diversity in higher education to expand access for diverse small businesses to the higher education marketplace.
According to Francesca Grippa, Executive Director of the Lab and CPS’s Associate Dean of Research: “Our collaboration with NAEP reflects a shared commitment to equitable and sustainable procurement practices in higher education, which is a driver of economic growth in our local communities.”
Building on the research conducted by the Lab on ways to expand access for diverse small businesses to the higher education marketplace, the organizations will explore additional areas of research of interest to NAEP member institutions.
NAEP and the Lab will also work together to develop educational resources for both procurement professionals in colleges and universities and diverse small business owners that leverage each organization’s unique programmatic attributes.
“It’s a great pleasure to be able to highlight the impactful academic work taking place at our member institutions coupled with the excellence of their procurement teams. It’s my hope that NAEP’s collaboration with Northeastern can serve as a model for how to bridge the gap between academicians and procurement professionals at our member institutions and bring valuable insights and practices to the procurement community.”
NAEP CEO, Brad Pryba
The collaboration between the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) and the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship marks a significant step forward in promoting supplier diversity and equitable procurement practices within higher education. Through joint research initiatives and the development of educational resources, both organizations are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that supports the growth of diverse small businesses and benefits local communities. As this partnership continues to evolve, stay tuned for more updates on our progress and the impact of our collaborative efforts. More to come!