The Case for Federal Programs That Help Small and Diverse Suppliers

On January 20, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order aimed at terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs “in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.” As part of this new order, government agency and department heads will have to attend monthly meetings, so that the assistant to the president for domestic policy can “hear reports on the prevalence and the economic and social costs of DEI.” The Trump administration argues that DEI initiatives, such as contracts set aside for small and diverse suppliers, are a “public waste” and hurt the federal government’s performance.