For certified MBEs in the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) network and those seeking to ramp procurement with government & corporate buyers

What’s going on now
With federal, state, and local government operations largely reopened, delayed contract awards, supplier onboarding, and procurement pipelines are coming back online in earnest. For minority-business enterprises (MBEs) in the NMSDC ecosystem, this reopening represents a timely inflection point: contracts once delayed are being released, new sourcing efforts are ramping, and companies (both public and private) are refocusing on supply-chain resilience and inclusion.

According to the NMSDC 2024 Minority Businesses Economic Impact Report (available at https://nmsdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NMSDC-EIR-2024_FINAL.pdf), MBEs generated $599.7 billion in total economic output, supported over 2.2 million jobs and delivered $168 billion in wages to American workers. That data underlines that MBEs are not just waiting for opportunity—they are the opportunity. Now is the time to lean in.

What MBEs should do THIS WEEK
Here is a strategic checklist to guide MBE firms through this reopening moment:

1. Review your pipeline and eligibility for reopened contracts.
   • Go back through procurement portals for federal, state and local agencies you target: what solicitations were paused, delayed or deferred during the shutdown/disruption? Many are likely being re-issued or reopened.
   • Confirm your certifications and credentials are up to date—especially your NMSDC certification, any state/local diversity certifications, electronic procurement system profiles, SAM.gov registration (for federal), etc.
   • If you were “in line” for a contract award or were shortlisted when things were paused, reach out to the buyer or agency contact and politely ask for updates. Aggressively highlight your readiness.
2. Leverage the NMSDC 2024 Economic Impact Report to strengthen your narrative.
   • In your marketing, proposals and outreach, cite the fact that MBEs in the NMSDC network are driving nearly $600 billion in output and supporting millions of jobs. Use the credibility of the NMSDC data to bolster your value proposition.
   • Use the report’s breakdowns (e.g., by revenue growth, by job creation) to position your firm: for example, if you are a Black-owned or Native-American-owned MBE and the report shows double-digit growth in those segments, make it part of your story.
   • Tailor your messaging: mention that inclusion of MBEs is not just socially responsible but fosters overall US economic growth (supported by the data).
3. Reconnect with corporate and government buyer networks.
   • Attend buyer events, match-maker sessions, government procurement fairs, and virtual webinars. NMSDC will host the NMSDC Capital Inclusion Ecosystem and the SBA Empower to Grow Program on Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. EST. This session will highlight how NMSDC and SBA are working together to help underserved entrepreneurs restore opportunities and regain access to federal contracts after the recent government shutdown. Click here to register.
   • If you had previous relationships/follow-ups during the pause, pick them up now: send an update about your readiness, capacity, lessons learned during the pause (improved processes, new certifications, staffing expanded, etc.).
   • Ask explicitly: “With your program resuming, how can I help you meet your supplier-diversity spend goals for Q4 or next year?”
4. Audit your internal operations and capacity for scale.
   • The reopening means increased competition and faster timelines. Review your operational readiness: do you have the production capacity, the supply-chain stability, the staffing, the internal compliance systems (especially if working with government/defense) to respond quickly?
   • If you identify a bottleneck (logistics, staffing, vendor/supplier backup), do an action plan this week for mitigation.
   • The re-opening is an opportunity to partner or subcontract with other MBEs to increase capacity or bundle services—collaboration will give you the agility needed to win reopened contracts. NMSDC can help by identifying possible partners.
5. Refine your value proposition with respect to risk & resilience.
   • Many government agencies and large corporations – especially those headquartered outside of the US –  are emphasizing resilience, supply-chain robustness, ESG (environmental/social/governance) goals, and inclusive procurement. Link your firm’s story to those trends.
   • For example: “We are a minority-owned business certified by NMSDC, with X years of experience, and we bring a resilient supply-chain, redundancy built in, and a commitment to supplier diversity which helps you meet your metrics.”
   • Provide concrete metrics: “We grew revenue by X % in the past year without compromising service; we retained Y% of our workforce; we implemented Z new process for compliance.”
6. Set short-term (next 90 days) goals and track progress.
   • Identify 2–3 target contracts (government or corporate) that are likely to move now that reopening is underway.
   • For each target: establish key milestones (e.g., registration completed, supplier diversity meeting scheduled, RFP submitted, site visit requested).
   • Monitor progress weekly. Revisit your pipeline each Friday: what moved, what stalled, what can be advanced?

Why this matters right now
The reopening of government buying and funneling of procurement activity is not merely a return to “normal” — it’s a reset. Many agencies are under renewed pressure to demonstrate supplier resilience, to show rapid recovery, and to meet next-year strategic sourcing goals. For MBEs, that means an opportunity window: firms that are ready now will have a competitive edge over those still ramping up.

The 2024 NMSDC Economic Impact Report tells us that MBEs are growing—even in uncertain times. Leveraging that momentum, aligning with buyer needs, and being operationally ready positions you for accelerated growth. The data backs it up: across NMSDC-certified MBEs, production increased 9.4%, jobs 10%, and wages 12.3%.

What to do next

• Download and review the full report at NMSDC EIR 2024.
• Schedule a “reopening strategy” meeting with your leadership team this week: allocate tasks to registration & certification refresh, buyer-outreach, operational audit, and target-contract list.
• Reach out to your NMSDC regional affiliate or supplier-diversity liaison at a corporation you work with (or want to) and schedule a conversation: “As your procurement opens up, I’d like to walk through how our firm can help you meet your supplier-diversity + operational readiness goals.”
• Prepare an updated marketing one-pager or slide deck that integrates the latest data (from the report) plus your firm’s readiness posture (capacity, certification, past performance, growth story).

In summary
The government reopening marks a critical moment. For MBEs, it’s not enough to wait — you must act. Leverage the momentum of the NMSDC Miami Conference, the MBE network, align your narrative with the data, reconnect with buyers, ensure your operations are ready, and track your progress. Firms that move deliberately this week will position themselves to capture the renewed procurement flows and secure expanded growth in the months ahead.