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12/04/2024 11:02 am

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Building Equity in Contracting

MWBE Disparity Study Implementation Update

News Published 12/4/2024 Updated 12/4/2024

In April 2023, the City finished a Disparity Study to find where minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) face fewer opportunities in City contracts. The study showed that, like many local governments, Raleigh has areas needing improvement and offered suggestions to make contracting more equitable.

Since then, the City has been working on these suggestions to close the gaps and expand opportunities for MWBEs in all types of contracts. 

Key Priorities and Action

Key PriorityWhat We're Doing

Establish race and gender-conscious goals 

  • The City sets a 15% MWBE goal for construction and repair contracts over $300K. 
  • A new policy introduces race- and gender-conscious goals across procurement types. 

 

Enhance MWBE Program administration and operations 

  • Developing policies to support inclusive contracting and compliance. 
  • Providing outreach, workshops, and mentoring to connect businesses with opportunities. 
  • Offering technical assistance and capacity-building programs to help businesses grow. 
     

Enhance race and gender-neutral initiatives 

  • Using race- and gender-neutral strategies with race- and gender-conscious efforts. 
  • Reviewing programs to adjust contract amounts for inclusion. 

 

Enhance data collection and management 
 

  • Reviewing City systems to identify gaps in MWBE data and suggest improvements. 
  • Considering using e-procurement for bid and quote tracking.  
  • Looking into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to streamline payment data reporting for better tracking and efficiency. 

 

Propose procurement systems and culture changes 

  • Shifting focus from MWBE compliance to a broader commitment to inclusive procurement. 
  • Establishing a Procurement Advisory Committee. 
  • Implementing training and development programs. 

 

Next Steps

Our work isn't finished! In the next phase, the City plans to: 

  • Expand MWBE goals to more contract types  
  • Offer workshops and mentoring 
  • Use new tools to track progress 

View the Disparity Study landing page and FAQ for more information.  

 

Contact

 

Lekesha R. Shaw
MWBE Program Manager
919-996-6958
lekesha.shaw@raleighnc.gov

Lead Department:
Equity and Inclusion

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