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Contracts
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reaching Portland’s minority communities.
Faye Burch, who held Myer’s job during
former Gov. Barbara Roberts’ administra-
The agency has partnered with the Turner
School of Construction, with Community
Colleges and with business development
centers across the state to help train smaller
firms.
“We have programs in place to build
small businesses so they can build up to
doing the kind of work ODOT does, which
is not the same as
working on buildings;
it is heavy duty high-
way construction. We
have graduated about
30 firms a year for the
last four or five years.”
Cobb said ODOT
now pulls smaller con-
tracts
(less
than
$150,000 for profes-
sional services; and less
than $100,000 for con-
struction) out of the
large highway projects,
for distribution to small businesses.
Paperwork to register with the state has
been reduced to eight pages – slim by fed-
eral standards, he says. ODOT also runs a
mentoring program.
James Faison, who owns a Portland-based
concrete company is in ODOT's mentoring
program. He said he would recommend it to
other contractors because it might help them
grow. Unlike many other minority firms,
take shape, after some months of uncertain-
ty. He thinks the agency is moving in the
right direction, but some policies should be
changed. There's so much red tape, he says,
it's hard to figure out. Payment too is a sore
spot.
"You don't get paid until 60 or 70 days
after you start work," he says. "You can't
ODOT had $45 million to achieve
their DBE (disadvantaged
businesses enterprise) goals. They
say they met their goal, but our
largest African American firm in
the Portland region has had just
$30,000 in work
State Rep. Lew Frederick
tion says ODOT has not done enough to
remedy the disparities.
“All I am hearing is: ‘We’re not getting
work’,” she said. “Money is not coming into
the African American community.
“ODOT had $45 million to achieve their
DBE (disadvantaged businesses enterprise)
goals. They say they met their goal, but our
largest African American firm in the
Portland region has had just $30,000 in
work.”
Michael Cobb, director of ODOT’s
office of civil rights, says not only do
the figures show progress, but the
department has put a raft of support
services in place specifically to help
Black and Asian contractors secure
contracts.
“Matt Garrett (State Transportation
Department
director)
always
acknowledges that ODOT has a ter-
rible history and we must do better,”
Cobb says. “But we are doing better.
We are seeing those numbers climb-
ing steadily. They are not where we
want them to be, but they are rising incre-
mentally.”
bill until you've worked for 30 days, then
they have 30 days to pay you and the gener-
al contractor has 10 more days. That's a
killer for a small business. Sometimes the
general will pay quicker because they want
to help, but ODOT won't."
Do The Numbers Reflect The Problem?
Burch, who helped found the Oregon
branch of the National Association of
Minority Contractors, runs her own project
management and consulting
business. She takes issue with
the state’s numbers, arguing that
the disparity data is flawed
because it only applies to prime
contractors and the Tier 1 sub-
contractors who work directly
for the primes.
One or two Black-owned firms
in Portland perform $10 to 12
million dollars of work a year
and could take on those roles,
Burch said. However, the major-
ity of the work will be further
parceled out to sub-contractors
who work further down the chain.
“That’s where most of us are,” she says.
“The problems are in the sub-tiers. But they
don’t look at anyone below the first tier.”
Burch said she dug into one project where
ODOT had sub-contracted with an African
American-owned trucking firm. That entire
contract was credited as going to an African
American business, she says. Yet, in reality,
that contractor did not invite any African
Americans to his pre-bid conference and
awarded most of his sub-contracts to firms
owned by white males.
Courts Require Compelling Evidence of
Discrimination
Minority contractors across the nation
have struggled to get a fair share of state
transportation work. In Missouri, for exam-
ple, in July 2009 Black contractors stopped
traffic on I70 to protest being squeezed out
of stimulus contracts. Just 12 percent of the
limited transportation dollars slated for dis-
advantaged businesses had gone to minority
firms, with the remaining 88 percent con-
tracted to women-owned firms.
Eddie Rye, a Seattle-based radio host, is a
longtime advocate for African Americans in
construction. “Just look at the utilization
reports for Washington,” he said. “When
You can't bill until you've worked
for 30 days, then they have 30
days to pay you and the general
contractor has 10 more days.
What is ODOT Doing for Equity?
C
O
M
Faison runs a union shop, where he employs
between six to 12 masons. He subcontracts
ODOT work from bigger firms. Faison said
ODOT's mentoring program is beginning to
M
U
N
I
T
Y
C
A
L
E
N
Faye Burch
you see all the minorities together are doing
1 percent – or less – of the work, that’s trag-
ic.” The Skanner News Video: Eddie Rye
A Ninth Circuit Court ruling stopped all
the states in its jurisdiction, including
See CONTRACTS on page 6
D
A
R
P ORTLAND J ANUARY 2011
B ULLETIN B OARD
WORKS BY DAN PILLERS: Opening reception 6 – 8
p.m. 4115 N. Mississippi Ave. Art Exhibit at the Q.
This exhibit runs until Feb. 27
LEGO SWAP MEET! Buy, sell, trade, build Legos.
Door prizes, consignment table. Bring your own
Legos to show. Adults $2 children 5-12 $1. 10
a.m. – 3 p.m. Pacific Crest Grand Ballroom 610
McLoughlin Blvd.
If you have an event you want to share
with the community, email it two weeks
in advance to The Skanner at
info@theskanner.com
Friday February 4
NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY! The American Heart
Assoc. asks women – and the men who love
them to show their support for the fight against
heart disease in women.
Saturday February 5
Thursday February 3
TELLING STORIES: THE ART OF FACT AN EXHIBIT OF
LLOYD CENTER DEBUTS LEGACY FUNLAND
CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA: A one-of-a kind children’s
Page 2 The Portland and Seattle Skanner February 2, 2011
soft structure play area on the lower level of the
mall. Lloyd Center and Legacy Health will host a
grand opening celebration from noon until 4
p.m.
FREE DENTAL CARE OFFERED FOR UNINSURED
CHILDREN! Children’s Dental Health Day is from
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Clark College Dental
Hygiene Clinic 1933 FT. Vancouver Way. Children
will be seen by appointment only please call
360-397-8000 ext 7371.
FREE HEALTH SCREENING FOR VASCULAR
CONDITION: Free health screening to detect
vascular condition will be offered for Portland-
area residents. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kmart Pharmacy
7655 Nyberg Rd. Advance registration required
please call 866-371-3592. Screenings take 10
minutes.