The Portland City Council recently affirmed their commitment to creating equitable contracting and career opportunities for people of color and women, unanimously approving a trio of ordinances developed in partnership with community stakeholders.
Under the new ordinances, the City of Portland will conduct its first contracting disparity study in more than a decade, establish a pilot for contracting policies designed to increase the City’s investment in firms owned by Black people, Indigenous people, people of color and women. and adopt a regional workforce equity agreement. These initiatives build on the City’s existing equitable contracting programs and policies to advance inclusion, remove barriers and increase opportunities.
“For decades, these issues have gone unaddressed in any consequential way, and I’m thrilled that we have this real opportunity to significantly improve access to Black, Indigenous and people of color contractors, improve accountability and also elevate our workforce in a way that hasn’t been done before,” City Commissioner Carmen Rubio said during a recent Council meeting.
The City Council vote represents more than 18 months of evaluation and conversation about the way the City provides business opportunities. City bureaus distributed a total of nearly $800 million to businesses and contractors during the most recent financial year, providing a pathway to invest in three of the City’s core values: fiscal responsibility, equity and anti-racism.
In 2020, the Portland City Auditor released a report saying the City’s equity in contracting programs had mixed results due to mismanagement, flawed program design, poor communication and legal restrictions. Several months later, a Council work session kicked off a project focused on improving, reinvigorating and expanding these policies and programs.
“We are committed to expanding opportunities, reducing barriers, and providing diverse and safe work experiences for women and people of color,” said Biko Taylor, the City’s chief procurement officer, who was hired last year to lead reforms to the City’s procurement programs and policies. “Our program is grateful for the support of City Council and our community partners to advance that commitment.”
The City assembled a project team and collaborated with the Fair Contracting Forum+ – a community advisory group – to establish the project’s scope, goals, values and priorities. In partnership with community stakeholders, the team focused on developing specific, actionable recommendations to bring to City Council.
“Over the last year, they’ve assessed current methods, they’ve researched best practices nationally, they’ve engaged very diverse stakeholder groups to develop very thoughtful, equity-centered change for how we’re going to do procurement moving forward,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler, who oversees the Bureau of Revenue and Financial Services. “And in doing so, they’re helping us to live out our values, especially those of anti-racism and equity.”
