MISSION: A non-profit Supplier Development membership organization developing, creating, and retaining a value-added diverse Manufacturing and Logistical supply base capable on competitive engagement and demonstrable continuous performance improvement in strategically sourced global supply chains. SUPPLIER CHAIN EXCELLENCE DEVELOPMENT MODEL The model is called the Corporate Mentoring Program (CMP), the implementation of which is center piece of the Community of Practice (CoP) to which diverse Maturing Manufacturing and Logistics Suppliers (Suppliers) and Corporate Members subscribe. DMSCA FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT David J. Burton, AICP, native of Columbia, SC and Founder/President/CEO of the Diverse Manufacturing Supply Chain Alliance (DMSCA). As a non-profit membership organization, DMSCA's history is rooted in a white paper developed in 2001 by David Burton entitled "The Strategic Intervention of Minority Suppliers in the OEM Supply Chain.” The paper served as the basis of a supplier development pilot project funded through the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP); and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Following its adoption by the Army as part of a DoD Mentor Protege Program project, the National Minority Manufacturing Institute (NMMI) was formed in 2004 to engage with corporations to support the development of a minority manufacturing base using an integrated performance driven model. The Six (6) MARKET DRIVERS FOR DMSCA OPERATIONS 1. Rapidly Changing Supply Chain Maturity 2. Supply Chain Performance Focus 3. Relationship Between Supply Chain Risk Management and Shareholder Value 4. Supply Chain Strategy Responsiveness to Supply Chain Complexities 5. Need for Suppliers Change Competitiveness Platform 6. Implementation of Internal Supply Chain Excellence Practices