Purpose
This job aid explains how agencies that use Core-CT should document SBE/MBE good faith efforts as part of the normal purchasing process. The goal is to make documentation simple, consistent, and connected to the purchasing record. Agencies should enter the applicable account code and select the appropriate good faith effort standard comment once, either on the requisition or the purchase order. That information will then carry forward through the remaining Core-CT process.
When to Document
Good faith efforts should be documented by the person initiating the purchase at or near the point of purchase, when the agency is making the purchasing decision and the relevant information is available. The purchase initiator should provide the appropriate good faith effort code to the individual who submits the requisition/purchase order. They will enter the good faith effort code into Core-CT.
Agencies should document good faith efforts when there is a relevant purchasing opportunity, including purchases through a requisition, purchase order, contract purchase, GL71 purchase, or solicitation.
For P-card purchases, agencies should follow the normal Core-CT documentation process when the purchase uses its own requisition or purchase order. If the P-card activity is captured through a blanket P-card purchase order, agencies should use GFE9 on the blanket PO and maintain purchase-level GFE documentation separately at the agency level.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Start the Purchase in Core-CT
Follow your agency’s normal Core-CT business process.
You may begin with either:
- a requisition, which will later be sourced to a purchase order; or
- a purchase order, if your agency’s process begins directly with the PO.
For P-card purchases, the documentation process depends on how the purchase is handled in Core-CT:
- If the P-card purchase uses its own requisition or purchase order, follow the normal process in this job aid and select the GFE code that best matches the underlying purchasing scenario.
- If the P-card activity is captured through a blanket P-card purchase order, use GFE9 on the blanket PO. Purchase-level GFE documentation, where applicable, should be maintained separately through the agency’s P-card reconciliation or approval process.
Step 2: Enter the Account Code
When completing the requisition or purchase order, enter the appropriate account code in the chartfields.
The account code will be connected to the corresponding three-digit NAICS code, so agencies do not need to separately identify or enter the NAICS code in Core-CT.
The account code should still be selected based on the normal accounting, purchasing, and fiscal rules that apply to the purchase.
This process is no different than your normal purchasing process, but it’s important to know that the account code will now be used to help with reporting on spend for small and minority businesses.
Step 3: Select the Good Faith Effort Standard Comment
In the Header Comments section, use the standard comments function to select the good faith effort comment that best matches the purchasing scenario.
The comment should reflect what occurred, using the standard good faith effort scenarios. If the individual submitting the requisition does not have this information, they may need to ask the person who initiated the purchase which comment code best reflects the situation.
- multi-vendor contract: certified SBE/MBE vendors were contacted (GFE1);
- multi-vendor contract: no certified SBE/MBE vendors were available (GFE2);
- GL71 purchase: certified SBE/MBE vendors were contacted (GFE3);
- GL71 purchase: no certified SBE/MBE vendors were available (GFE4);
- GL71 purchase: no meaningful opportunity existed to solicit vendors (GFE5);
- single-vendor contract or similar purchase: no meaningful opportunity existed to solicit another vendor (GFE6);
- solicitation: certified SBE/MBE vendors were contacted but did not respond (GFE7); or
- another agency-specific explanation is needed (GFE8).
- blanket P-card purchase order: purchase-level GFE documentation maintained separately at the agency level (GFE9).
Need additional assistance with selecting the right standard comment? View the Choosing the Right Good Faith Effort Standard Comment Job Aid.
Step 4: Complete the Normal Approval Process
After the account code and good faith effort comment are entered, continue through the normal Core-CT approval process.
If the purchase begins with a requisition, the requisition will be approved and sourced to a purchase order. The account code and standard comment will copy over to the purchase order, receipt, and voucher.
If the purchase begins with a purchase order, the account code and good faith effort comment will carry forward to the receipt and voucher.
For blanket P-card purchase orders, GFE9 serves as a Core-CT pointer indicating that purchase-level documentation is maintained separately. Agencies should not treat the blanket PO comment as a substitute for reviewing and documenting individual P-card purchases when a relevant purchasing opportunity exists.
Step 5: Retain Supporting Documentation
The standard comment creates a consistent record in Core-CT, but agencies should still retain supporting documentation with the procurement record consistent with agency procedures.
Supporting documentation may include:
- spending allocation goal that correlates to the purchase;
- list of vendors identified on the contract, if applicable;
- Small Business Certification Directory search results;
- quote requests or emails and vendor responses;
- P-card reconciliation or approval records showing the applicable purchase-level GFE documentation, where applicable.
- notes explaining why certified SBE/MBE vendors were not available or not contacted; or
- documentation showing that no meaningful vendor-choice opportunity existed.
What Agencies Should Remember
- Enter the account code as part of the normal requisition or purchase order process.
- Select the good faith effort standard comment that best matches the purchasing scenario.
- Enter the account code and comment once, either on the requisition or the purchase order.
- The information will carry forward through the remaining Core-CT process.
- Agencies remain responsible for making and documenting good faith efforts when relevant purchasing opportunities arise.
- For blanket P-card POs, use GFE9 in Core-CT and maintain purchase-level documentation separately at the agency level.
Key Reminder
The expectation is not that every purchase will be awarded to a certified SBE/MBE vendor. The expectation is that agencies make and document reasonable, good faith efforts when relevant purchasing opportunities exist.
