Visit us at https://www.portseattle.org/diversity
Item No. 11c_supp
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025

Diversity in Contracting
Mian Rice, Director, Diversity in Contracting
Mandela Thomas, Assistant Director, CPO Strategic Partnerships and Analytics
Lawrence Coleman, Program Manager, Diversity in Contracting
Emily Ho, Program Manager, Diversity in Contracting

May 27, 2025

Agenda

Diversity in Contracting Program & Video
2024 WMBE Results
Resolution 3836: Updating the Diversity in Contracting Directive

2

Diversity in Contracting Goals
Purpose:
Advance equity and address contracting disparities by increasing the utilization
of Women Minority Business Enterprises and other disadvantaged firms
2024 "Gap Year" Goals:
 Increase the amount of spend on WMBE contracts to 15%
 Increase the number of WMBE firms doing business with the Port to 400
3

4

2024 WMBE
Results

5

WMBE Data
Overview of Data Processing

• Data sourced from five
systems: PeopleSoft,
CDS, Vendor Connect,
Concur, Bank of
America
• Combined to generate
a unified report on
contract utilization

Data Quality Assurance
• Ensured data accuracy
by identifying and
removing duplicates
and outliers
• Department level
review to validate
spend accuracy
• Blend of automated
processes and manual
oversight

Key Challenges from August 2024 to May 2025
• Cyberattack delayed system recovery until early 2025 - lost
access to our systems and new data inputs for 6 months
• After system restoration, we had 6 mo. of data backlog to
input into the system
• 2 months to catch up on backlog of customer reports
• 6 + 2 = 8 months operational impact

Data Calculation and Reporting
• WMBE Utilization = Verified
WMBE Spend ÷ Total Eligible
Spend
• Contracts are matched to
vendors and certification status
• Actual spend is used to count
toward WMBE utilization

Successful Partnerships
• Completed 20+ improvements and projects to
help support specialized Diversity in
Contracting inquiries and reports, beyond
standard reporting duties.
• Continuous improvements are underway for
future cycles
6

Port-wide WMBE Utilization

WMBE Utilization

2016

2019*

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024 Gap
Year**

Percent
Utilization (%)

5.3

11.3

12.0

14.0

12.6

12.4

13.3

Firm Count

118

342

366

349

359

392

388

*Start of Five-Year Goals (2019 - 2023) - 15% utilization with 354 WMBE Businesses utilized
**Gap Year Goals - 15% Utilization with 400 Businesses utilized

7

2024 Port-wide WMBE Utilization

Category

Total Port Spend
($ Millions)

WMBE Spend
($ Millions)

WMBE Utilization

Public Works (Construction)

570

64

11.2%

Non-Construction

362

60

16.6%

932

124

13.3%

Total

8

2024 Port-wide Spend Distribution
Non-Minority Female $52M (6%)
Minority Male $35M (4%)
Minority Gender Unspecified $31M (3%)
Non-WMBE
$808M (87%)

Minority Female $6M (1%)

9

2024 WMBE Utilization by Ethnicity
WMBE Firm Numbers

WMBE Spend ($ Millions)
Other Racial Category

1

5

Multi-Racial

2

5

Hispanic/Latino
Native American
Asian American and Native
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Black or African American
Caucasian

26

9
11

14

52

17
33

19
31

92
10

2024 Division Goal Attainment (Non-Construction)

Division

Total Spend WMBE Spend

WMBE Goal WMBE Actuals

($Millions)

($ Millions)

Aviation

229

27

14%

12%

Corporate

81

22

17%

27%

Maritime

45

9

13%

20%

Economic Development

5

1

16%

21%

11

2024 Corporate Departments Goal Attainment
(Non-Construction)
Department
CFO
Deputy ED
Environmental
External Relations
OEDI
Legal
Internal Audit
Human Resources
Executive Director
Commission
Labor Relations
Total

Total Spend WMBE Spend
WMBE Goal WMBE Actuals
($Millions)
($ Millions)
26
13
23%
35%
28
4
17%
16%
10
4
12%
38%
4
<1
20%
21%
<1
4
16%
6%
<1
8
4%
2%
<1
<1
20%
75%
<1
1
21%
9%
<1
<1
15%
10%
<1
<1
5%
15%
<1
<1
10%
19%
81
22
17%
27%

12

Non-Construction Use 2019-2024
25.0%

20.3%
20.0%

17.3%
15.4%

15.7%
$276

$210

$203

15.7%

16.6%
$362

15.0%

$304

10.0%

$206

5.0%

0.0%
2019

2020

2021
Port Spend ($M)

2022
WMBE%

2023

2024

13

Construction Use 2019-2024
$570

25.0%

$497

$495

20.0%

$326

13.1%

11.2% 10.0%

$202

8.6%

8.8%

15.0%

$323

9.2%

8.5%

5.0%

0.0%
2019

2020

2021
Port Spend ($M)

2022
WMBE%

2023

2024

14

Diversity in Contracting Report Card
2024 was the "gap year" following the five-year DC Program Goal
Virtues
• Port spent a record amount with WMBE firms ($124M)
• WMBE utilization in non-construction spend (16.6%) remains high
• Construction total spend and construction WMBE utilization have both had
upward trajectories for the past three years
Challenges
• Program did not achieve Port-wide WMBE utilization goal of 15%
• WMBE utilization in construction spend (11.2%) needs to increase
• Program fell short of goal to work with 400 WMBE firms by 12 firms
15

Training and Outreach
2024 Training and Events Results
• PortGen: 107 unique WMBE firms
• Regular PortGen First Look Webinars
• Advanced PortGen: 34 unique WMBE firms
• Resource video library
• Accelerator: 10 graduates
2024 Outreach Results
• New WMBE firm VendorConnect registrations: 60
• One-on-one assistance provided: 85 firms
2024 Communications Results
• Reach: 6,600 recipients
• Open rate: 36%
• Click Rate: 5%

16

GAP Year: Diversity in Contracting 2024 Roadmap

Quarter One

 Diversity

in Contracting (DC)
Program Evaluation 
 Commission Order
Extending Policy

Quarter Two

DC
Evaluation Results
Disparity
Study Results

Quarter Four
/ Quarter 1
2025

Quarter Three

 Review and Refresh  Community
Stakeholder
Policy
Input re: Policy
 Community
and program goals
Engagement
•

First Reading
of updated
resolution

Res3836:
Updating
the
Diversity in
Contracting
Directive

18

Diversity in Contracting Policy Directive
Resolution 3737, adopted in January 2018, established the DC
program - Fully Implemented 2019
Elements of Resolution 3737

• Set a goal and timeline: triple the number of WMBE businesses utilized
(Goal 354) and increase dollars spent on WMBE contracts by 15% in five
years
• Incorporate WMBE goals into Port's Long-Range Plan
• Collect data, publish annual reports

Program delivery: technical assistance, trainings, outreach, conduct
disparity studies; monitor processes and payments, development of
procurement tools; data collection and program evaluation

19

Proposed Updates: Policy
Directive Language Updates

Program Improvements

- Increase in the percentage of dollars spent on WMBE
contracts to 16%

- Increase number of Small Works contracts,
Development of Limited Public Works program,
alternative delivery methods (i.e., Design/Build)
projects

- Increase the utilization baseline to 500+ WMBEs
Portwide
- Commission Office proposed adds:
• Construction business definition
- 14% utilization sub-aspirational goal

- Continued engagement of WMBE firms for
upcoming opportunities
- Include certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) as
defined by OMWBE

- Improve prompt payments & change orders
processes
- Assessment of potential supports for S/WMBE
businesses with bonding, insurance, cash flow
- Inclusion of certified Veteran Owned Businesses -
within Portwide Goal WMBE + VBE
- Collect data on timely dispatch on contracted jobs
with the Port

20

2025 Program Goals
2025 Port-Wide Goals
 Non-Construction and
Construction Percent
Spend with WMBE + V
firms: 16%
 Number of WMBE Firms
Utilized: 500
 Construction Percent
Spend: 14%

Division Goals
(Non-Construction)

2025 Goal

Aviation (AV)

14%

Economic Dev. (EDD)

10%

Maritime (MD)

14%

Corporate

16%

Port Wide

16%

21

Proposed Number (#) of WMBE Firms Utilized Goal
Original Annual
Goal
(2019-2023)

Goal Achieved

354

392

Number (#)
of WMBE
Firms

(Original)

GAP Year
Results

388

GAP Year (2024)
Recommended
Goal
Annual Goal for 20252029

400

500

Utilization Drivers:

Utilization Detractors:

• P-Cards (Direct Buys)

• Current Payment Database not capturing all
WMBE businesses

22

Proposed Percent (%) WMBE Utilization Goal

WMBE % Utilization

Original Annual Goal
(2019-2023)

Highest Attainment

DC
Recommended
(2025-2029)

15%

14%

16%

Sub- Construction WMBE
Goal
Utilization Driver:
Construction & Professional Services (Architectural
& Engineering)

14%
Utilization Detractors:
Port's Capital Program - Balance between bundling
for efficiency vs Unbundling projects for increased
WMDBE participation
• Project Labor Agreement (PLA)
• Cash Flow / Prompt Payment
• Bonding & Insurance

23

2025 Training and Outreach Program
1. Learning Opportunities
•
•
•
•
•

PortGen First Looks
Advanced PortGen Workshops
Accelerator Mentorship Program
PortGen 101 Orientations
Capacity Building Mentorship Program

•
•
•
•
•

Weekly e-Digest
Website
Newsletter
Advertisements
Blogs

4. Outreach/Community Engagement

2. Events
•
•
•
•
•
•

3. Communications

Aviation Industry Day
Planes Trains and Automobiles
Maritime Industry Day
End of Year Celebration
Events with Primes
Aviation Maintenance PortGen Connects

•
•
•
•
•

Business to Government Contracting Forums
Tabor 100 Monthly Meetings
Minority Business Associations
(NWMBA/NAMC/AWMB) Monthly Meetings
One-on-one assistance
Collaboration with other government
agencies

5. VendorConnect Enhancement as WMBE Directory

24

Other Next Steps
•

Develop limited public works program for small businesses (<$150K)

•

Develop an Architectural & Engineering program for small and disadvantaged businesses,
veteran, WMBE businesses (professional services category adjustments)

•

Improve prompt payment procedures for construction projects (in collaboration with CPO)

•

Improve insurance flexibility for small businesses (in collaboration with risk management)

•

Continue to push alternative delivery methodologies for construction projects in support of
WMBE and small businesses

•

Provide ongoing training to WMBE/DBE, veteran, and small businesses - particularly on
Project Labor Agreements

•

Improve data collection system in partnership with CPO
25

Thank You

26