Vancouver disparity report finds underutilization of MWBEs

WA News - Published Dec 30, 2024

The Vancouver City Council was recently presented with the results of a disparity study commissioned by the City of Vancouver into the experiences of minority- and woman-owned businesses (MWBEs) in doing, or attempting to do, business with the City. The study examined contracts by the City during the period of January 2015 through December 2022.

The study found that during the period, about 9 percent of City contract dollars went to MWBEs. However, the study's analysis found that MWBEs had an availability rate of 27 percent for the period. The disparities were described as "substantial" for many MWBE groups in the field of construction in particular. These conclusions form part of the legal base on which remedies to these disparities might be implemented.

Remedies recommended for City adoption by the study include setting a three-year aspirational goal for MWBE participation, spending more resources on business assistance and outreach to MWBEs, authorizing small business preference points on eligible contracts, and directly contacting MWBEs for bids and proposals on purchases below the threshold requiring public advertisement (that being $50,000).

Read more at https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/dec/12/substantial-disparities-fewer-minority-and-women-owned-businesses-are-getting-vancouver-city-contracts-than-should-be-says-study/.

Read the disparity study at https://www.cityofvancouver.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Disparity-Study-Report-Final.pdf.