Capacity Building
Mentorship Program (CBMP)
Mian Rice, Diversity in Contracting Director
Emily Ho, Diversity in Contracting Program Manager
Item No. 8f_supp
Meeting date: February 10, 2026
Action Requested
• Commission authorization for Executive Director to execute an
Interlocal Agreement (ILA), pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW, with:
• Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
• Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit)
• City of Seattle
• King County
• The agreement will be for the duration of two years for a total cost
of $40,000 to the Port (which is 11% of the total contract amount
of $365,000)
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The Interlocal Agreement
Implement a Capacity Building Mentorship Program for the
purpose of strengthening the capacity of small businesses in
construction and consulting projects.
– The agreement allows WSDOT to administer funds to the program
administrator and submit invoices to the Port and other parties for
reimbursement.
– The agreement’s performance period commences on January 1, 2026, and
is to be completed on December 30, 2027.
– There are an anticipated 40-60 mentor-protégé pairs who will be part of
the program. 6-9 of these pairs will be from the Port.
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Program History
• The CBMP strengthens the capacity of small businesses in Washington by
connecting them with larger firms engaged in government construction and
consulting projects.
• It was originally launched in 2018 through a partnership between WSDOT, the
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the Associated
General Contractors of Washington (AGC). In 2019, the partnership grew to
include Sound Transit.
• More than 130 proteges have participated in one of the program's seven
cohorts, with over 88% of mentors and proteges in the most recent cohorts
reporting being satisfied or very satisfied with the program.
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Benefit to the Port and the Region
• Strengthen the capacity of small businesses in the region.
• Advance the Port’s Century Agenda Goal of responsibly investing in the
economic growth of the region and all its communities.
• Carry out the Diversity in Contracting Policy Directive of increasing a diverse,
competitive pool of potential WMBE and Small Business contractors to meet
the Port’s Diversity in Contracting goals.
• Leverage existing WSDOT and Sound Transit efforts to accomplish our shared
goals.
• Necessary complement to existing Port Business Accelerator Program.
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Thank You
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