Building California’s Future: A Billion-Dollar Opportunity and Our Commitment to Excellence

At Stronger Built, we believe in more than just high-quality construction; we believe in being a reliable partner for the infrastructure that powers our state. We recently tuned into the Welcome to State Contracting series by Angela Shell, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of California, to ensure our operations are perfectly aligned with the state's mission.

Here is a look at the scale of the opportunity in California and how Stronger Built is positioned to deliver.

1. The Scale of the Mission: $12 Billion Annually

The State of California is one of the largest purchasers in the world. According to the DGS, the state spends between $10 billion and $12 billion each year on goods and services.

To ensure this spending supports the local economy, the state is mandated to direct:

• 25% of those funds to Small Businesses (SB).
• 3% of those funds to Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE).

As a certified DVBE, Stronger Built is proud to be part of the $3.5 billionthat has gone to certified businesses every year since 2020. This isn't just about contracts; it’s about driving economic recovery and growth in our communities.

2. Speaking the Language: UNSPSC Codes

A critical takeaway from the DGS is the importance of UNSPSC codes (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code). The state uses these 8-digit codes to identify exactly what a business provides.

We have optimized our profiles to align with these standards, ensuring that when state buyers search for "General Building Construction" or "Technical Site Services," Stronger Built appears as a qualified, ready-to-work match.

3. The Power of "Commercially Useful Function" (CUF)

The DGS Chief Procurement Officer emphasized that success in state contracting requires performing a Commercially Useful Function. This means a business must actually execute, manage, and supervise the work—not just act as a "pass-through."

At Stronger Built, our Class B General Contractor license and our hands-on project management style are the foundations of our CUF compliance. We take full responsibility for every distinct element of our projects, from initial price negotiation to final quality checks.

4. Beyond the Bid: Emergency Readiness

The state highlights an often-overlooked opportunity: the Emergency Registry. When disaster strikes, the state relies on registered contractors to bypass traditional long-form bidding for urgent repairs and debris removal.

Because we maintain a fleet of equipment and a ready-to-deploy team, we are committed to being part of California’s emergency response network, providing "drop-of-a-hat" service when the state needs us most.