Guest post by Mitch Fine, Vice President of Business Development at Buy Supply, a Varis Connection Supplier providing an assortment of nearly 8 million products from best-in-class manufacturers and brands, including 3M, Stanley Black & Decker, Rubbermaid, Honeywell, Carhartt, and over 5,000 more. 

Collaboration is the key for any organization looking to link its mission with the day-to-day business operations.  

Recently I met with government officials within the Executive Office of the President of the United States to deliver recommendations on two key initiatives that Buy Supply passionately supports: 

  • The AbilityOne program, through which individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities, provide quality products and services to the Federal Government.  
  • Advancing sustainability considerations into Federal acquisitions.   

The AbilityOne program is deeply personal to both me and the mission of Buy Supply, a woman-owned small business serving government agencies and Source America Nonprofit Agencies (NPA’s).   

My grandmother, Laurette “Gram” Bass lost her vision to glaucoma when she was in her 20’s. Gram lived a very full life, she was a devoted wife and mother who contributed to her community in many ways, including as a founding member of the local chapter of her Lighthouse for the Blind. What the world missed out on was a professional contribution from Gram, who was brilliant, passionate and had she not lost her vision could have been a senator, doctor, CEO, or Supreme Court Justice—anything that she wanted to be.  

But Gram lived during a time where those who were significantly disabled, or blind had very few options. We lost out on the energy, passion and potential contributions of millions of people because of this bias and the beliefs that business and society held at that time.  

The mission of the AbilityOne program is all about empowering people who are blind and significantly disabled by providing fully integrated employment opportunities, so that they can contribute their talents and passions. And that mission resonates with me, as it should with all of us. 

Submitting Recommendations

Buy Supply is proud to support the amazing AbilityOne program by serving as an Authorized AbilityOne distributor, and to also promote the purchase of sustainable products. I’m happy to bring more awareness to the contributions that we all can make to our communities through the AbilityOne program. 

That’s why I was thrilled to meet with the government leaders at General Services Administration, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Council on Environmental Quality, who help to lead and guide the AbilityOne program and sustainability initiatives.  

I was especially pleased to be joined in these discussions by representatives from other Varis Connection suppliers MSC Industrial Supply, Inc., and ODP Business Solutions (formerly Office Depot Business Solutions Division), as well the leadership from two NPAs: the Austin Lighthouse for the Blind and Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco. Plus, representatives from the National Institute of the Blind, who play a critical leadership role as one of the two Central Non-Profit Agencies leading the AbilityOne program. 

The recommendations, submitted by Buy Supply to GSA and AbilityOne, and shared with OMB and CEQ, are guided by four core principles: 

  • Support the mission of AbilityOne, environmental sustainability, and our customers.  
  • Create a community of those willing to partner and collaborate to support the mission, while remaining commercially successful.  
  • Recognize the success stories and use them as case studies, while understanding and facing the challenges and using these as real-world exercises in learning and improving. 
  • Foster an environment of knowledge and transparency so that background information is shared as a positive effort to understand and consider all points of view. 

Recommendations

  1. GSA to establish a Task Force, comprised of key stakeholders, such as the Commission, the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), Source America, their nonprofit agencies (NPAs), GSA, and especially authorized AbilityOne distributors, to identify data challenges in better identifying commercial products that should be converted to compliant AbilityOne products and proposed solutions to address those challenges.  
  2. GSA, working with OMB and CEQ, to provide training and create tools for acquisition professionals to better understand and prioritize key policy initiatives.  
  3. GSA to encourage NIB and Source America to develop best practices for smaller organizations who may struggle with fewer resources, such as staff, technology, and purchasing expertise, to more efficiently and effectively deliver their mission. 

These programs are supported by amazing teamwork to make a difference and drive greater outcomes.  

I’m happy to explain more. Reach out to me on LinkedIn or connect with Buy Supply through Varis and we can get started.