Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 2012)
MBE2012 Portland Public Schools Equity in Public Purchasing and Contracting: Changing the History By Bruce Poinsette Of The Skanner News L ee Fleming has been with Portland Public Schools (PPS) since May 2011. Prior to that, he spent three years as an analyst for the State Procurement Office. During his time there he dealt with MWESB con- cerns as part of a mandate from the Governor’s office. One aspect of that was reporting to the Governor’s advocate on MWESB infor- mation. Fleming says being involved in the statutes and rules per- taining to public pur- chasing policy prepared him for what he’s doing today. PPS introduced its Equity in Public Purchasing and Contracting Policy in July. Fleming says the dis- trict-wide vision is to be more purposeful about inclu- sion. He says PPS wants to ensure it’s reaching out to local communities. “Minority-owned firms, ing with minority and small business firms; in fact the new purchasing policy is part of the district’s rollout of a larger Racial Equity in Education policy. At this time, Fleming says it’s still in “extreme draft mode” so specific target percentages and goals for minority business inclusion are to be determined. However, when awarding contracts, he says the dis- trict provides solicitation documents so there is no guesswork involved for inquiring firms. Although the policy is in its early stages, Fleming is excited for the possibilities of what the district can do. “For me, to be part of this work is very rewarding,” he says. “I’m exposed to a lot of informa- tion that’s going to benefit the district as a whole but more importantly our stu- dents, who are our future.” Although the policy is in its early stages, Fleming is excited for the possibilities of what the district can do women-owned firms, emerging small businesses. Everyone has equal access, equal opportunity to compete for work and opportunities in the district,” Fleming says. Fleming says the goal is to improve the district’s history, which he says in the past has admittedly been poor in terms of deal- Page 6 • Minority Business Enterprise • The Portland Skanner • September 26, 2012 Free Workshop to Help Small Businesses Understand, Achieve Bond Requirements, Oct. 4 S mall businesses often face the daunting task of being “bondable.” When it comes to working on govern- ment contracts in the transporta- tion industry, being bonded is often a requirement. Now, a free six-week workshop will help small business owners in Oregon and southwest Washington find out just what it takes to become bonded and how to expand their existing bonding capacity. The free, 3- hour evening courses begin Oct. 4 at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs Center, 4134 N. Vancouver Ave. in Portland. The Oregon Department of Transportation requested the workshop after learning of its successful pilot in Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta in 2010. The Bonding Education Program (BEP), a partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation/Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, the Surety & Fidelity Association of America, and a host of local stakeholders, consists of educa- tional workshops and bond readiness sessions. The educational component offers an introductory session and five comprehensive work- shops, each providing informa- tion related to improving a small contractor’s operations – with a goal of making it easier to be bonded or to increase bonding capacity. A final work- shop focuses on networking and next steps. The bond readiness compo- nent consists of one-on-one interactions with surety bond producers, underwriters and other professionals who work with the contractors on a case- by-case basis in assembling the materials necessary for a com- plete bond application and in addressing any omissions and/or deficiencies that might deter the successful underwrit- ing of a bond. The classes qualify for Construction Contractors Board license continuing education for Commercial and Residential contractors under the “elective” category. See the Construction Contractors Board Education page for additional information. For questions, contact Lily Keeffe, U.S. DOT/Northwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center, 425-248-4222 or lkeefe@snoedc.org.
