Kelvin Perry, Assistant Director for the Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism (DOEDT), was recently appointed to the advisory committee to consult the next Southern Cities Economic Inclusion (SCEI) City Cohort by the National League of Cities.

The SCEI initiative builds the capacity of cities to implement economic inclusion strategies that close racial, economic equity gaps, and expand economic opportunities for residents and small-,women-, and minority-owned (SWaM) businesses.

In 2023, the City of Danville participated in the 2023 SCEI City Cohort, in which they collaborated with 15 other southeastern cities to participate in a 20-month project that developed new programs and initiatives throughout the local community to better engage residents and improve opportunities for equity and inclusion through municipalities.

From this funding, the DOEDT hosted the Southern Virginia Regional Procurement Fair, in April 2024, with local partners to bring together over 300 small businesses to learn more about the SWaM certification process and network with large industries and government agencies.

The City of Danville also made crucial changes to the procurement process including:

• The City of Danville’s procurement code was updated to increase the bonding limit requirements from $100,000 to $500,000 to create more opportunities for small businesses to bid on larger city contracts. 
• The City of Danville’s internal procurement policy was changed to require two SWaM Certified quotes on any purchase over $10,000 and less than $50,000. 
• A new position of Vendor Relationship Coordinator was created to target and identify small businesses and update the financial system with new vendor profile information and commodity codes. This position also supports outreach efforts and community engagement events. 
• The Purchasing Division updated policy on the City of Danville’s Amazon Business Prime account to prefer Virginia sellers and small and diverse sellers. 
• The Purchasing Division is now posting bids on eVA, the state’s supported website for online bidding. 

“Through collaboration efforts, the Purchasing Division is taking procurement to a new level with upgraded policies that are more supportive to small businesses,” says Division Director of Purchasing, Carol Henley. “We have increased communication with city departments, entrepreneurs, and city leaders on how to better serve our community through outreach programs, financial literacy programs, and simply acting as a source of information for newcomers. It has been an honor to work with Perry and participate as a member of this cohort.” 

After the conclusion of the 2023 SCEI Cohort, Perry was named to the advisory committee to consult the next cohort of cities. 

“Our office looks forward to implementing the strategies learned and creating new opportunities to collaborate with each member of our community,” says DOEDT Assistant Director, Kelvin Perry. “This was an invaluable experience, and I am honored to help craft the next wave of change throughout our region. We will continue to look for ways we can support our small businesses to help increase their capacity and growth.” 

“The Department of Economic Development and Tourism is dedicated to fostering the success of small, women, and minority-owned businesses,” said DOEDT Director, Corrie Bobe. “As our community continues to expand, we are committed to offering resources to help businesses thrive and capitalize on this growth. Recent improvements to the procurement process in the City of Danville have enhanced our ability to support and link these businesses to valuable opportunities. Perry’s involvement in this initiative highlights our office’s commitment to inclusivity and equity.”