Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
11c
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
May 26, 2026
DATE: May 26, 2026
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: A. Boungjaktha, Managing Director, Economic Development Division
Mian Rice, Director, Diversity in Contracting
SUBJECT: Diversity in Contracting 2025 Annual Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Diversity in Contracting Annual Report to the Commission provides the Port’s
division/department 2025 Women and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) results from
administering affirmative efforts to assure equality of contracting opportunities. 2025 was the
seventh full year of Diversity in Contracting program operations in which Port divisions and
departments established WMBE utilization goals.
In combined construction and non-construction spend, 15.3% ($151M) of the Port’s spend of
$990M went to WMBE firms– shy of the 2025-2029 goal of 16% utilization, but achieving a
historic high for this metric and in continuation of the generally positive trend seen since 2019.
The historic high was driven in part by an increase in both total construction spend as well as
construction percent spent with WMBEs.
The Port worked with 400 WMBE firms, short of achieving our 2025-2029 goal of working with
500 WMBE firms annually, while also achieving a historic high for this metric and in
continuation of the generally positive trend seen since 2019.
BACKGROUND AND GOALS
On January 9, 2018, the Port Commissioners adopted a new Diversity in Contracting (DC) policy
directive with a supporting Resolution, to advance equity in Port contracting. The policy was
developed over the years of 2016-2017, using 2016 as the baseline for what was eventually
passed. 2019 was the first full year the program and goals came into effect.
The purpose of this policy directive is to provide the maximum practicable opportunity for
increased participation by minority and women owned and controlled businesses in Port
contracting for public works, consulting services, supplies, materials, equipment, and other
services to create the opportunity to leverage Port spending to increase WMBE utilization.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11c Page 2 of 6
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
As part of the Diversity in Contracting policy directive, the Port Commission established
utilization goals for both the amount of contracting dollars paid to WMBE firms as well as the
number of WMBE firms under contract to the Port using 2016 baseline utilization results.
2019-2023 Five-Year Goals
(1) Triple the number of WMBE firms that contract with the Port annually (354 firms), and
(2) Increase to 15% the percentage of dollars spent on WMBE contracts
The policy also directed the establishment of:
• Executive level accountability that drives performance across the Port
• Port-wide goal setting and reporting processes, requiring Divisions/Departments
to establish annual WMBE Plans that include aspirational goals and performance
targets
• Clear lines of responsibility and accountability for implementation with
designated WMBE liaisons for each division
• Enhanced compliance and tracking of key performance objectives and
incorporation of WMBE goals into the Port’s Long Range Plan
• Categories of contracts where inclusion plans and other tools will be used
• Implementation and monitoring procedures to ensure prompt payment and
change order processes
• Expanded technical assistance for WMBE firms, coordination with external
partners, and support for internal training to Port staff
2025 (July) -2029 Five Year Goals
In 2024, the Diversity in Contracting team prepared for new five-year goals by evaluating the
program, drafting updates to the policy, and engaging the community through internal and
external listening sessions to identify procurement barriers. This produced new 2025-2029 five-
year goals which were adopted by the Port Commission on July 8, 2025.
2025-2029 Port-wide Goals:
(1) Achieve 500 WMBE businesses utilized annually, and
(2) 16% of dollars spent on WMBE contracts
2025 RESULTS
In 2025, construction accounted for 62% of the Port’s spend while non-construction accounted
for 38% of Port spend which was consistent with the distribution of spend in 2024. For
construction and non-construction projects combined, 15.3% of the Port’s spend of $990M
went to WMBE firms ($151M) – short of the 2025 goal of 16% utilization but surpassing its
WMBE utilization in 2024 of 13.3% ($124M).
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11c Page 3 of 6
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
An increase in both total construction spend as well as construction percent spent with WMBEs
resulted in a much larger construction spend with WMBE firms. WMBE construction firms
received $21M more on projects in 2025 than in 2024 (a 33% increase).
The major driver for the increase in percent spent with WMBEs on major construction projects
is attributable to an increase in total spend on GC/CM projects, as well as an increase in percent
spent with WMBEs on GC/CM projects.
The following table provides total spend information by division.
2025 Total Utilization (Construction and Non-Construction Combined)
Division
Total Spend
($ Millions)
WMBE
Spend
($ Millions)
WMBE %
WMBE Firm
Count
Aviation
645
110
17.0
270
Corporate
188
19
10.1
106
Economic Development Division
3
0.2
7.3
14
Maritime Division 153 22 14.4 99
Northwest Seaport Alliance*
1.4
0.6
44.8
1
Total
990
151
15.3
400
* To prevent double-counting, this reflects NWSA data that excludes NWSA dollars and firm counts that
are already accounted for under the category of Maritime Division
For construction, DC staff establishes WMBE aspirational goals on a project-by-project basis. In
2025, 13.8% of the Port’s construction spend of $611M went to WMBE firms ($85M) –
surpassing the 2025 WMBE construction goal of 13% as well as its WMBE utilization in 2024 of
11.2%. The following table provides construction spend information by division.
2025 Construction Utilization
Division
Total Spend
($ Millions)
WMBE
Spend
($ Millions)
WMBE %
WMBE Firm
Count
Aviation
412
68
16.5
119
Corporate
113
1
1.2
9
Economic Development
0
0
-
-
Maritime
86
15
17.4
42
Northwest Seaport Alliance*
0.1
-
-
-
Total
611
85
13.8
148
* To prevent double-counting, this reflects NWSA data that excludes NWSA dollars and firm counts that
are already accounted for under the category of Maritime Division
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11c Page 4 of 6
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
For non-construction, per the DC policy directive, every division and department establishes
WMBE aspirational goals prior to the beginning of the year. Non-construction procurements
include procurements for service agreements (professional services and personal services) and
purchasing (goods and services, and P-card purchases). In non-construction, 17.6% of the Port’s
spend of $379M went to WMBE firms ($67M) - surpassing both its 2025 WMBE non-
construction goal of 16%, as well as its WMBE utilization in 2024 of 16.6%. The following table
provides non-construction spend information by division.
2025 Non-Construction Utilization
Division
Spend
WMBE
Spend
($ Millions)
2024
WMBE
Goal %
2024
WMBE
Actuals %
WMBE
Firm
Count
Aviation
41
14
17.8
156
Corporate
18
16
23.4
97
Economic Development
0.2
10
7.3
14
Maritime Division
7
14
10.5
62
Northwest Seaport Alliance*
0.6
-
48.3
1
Total
67
16
17.6
264
* To prevent double-counting, this reflects NWSA data that excludes NWSA dollars and firm counts that
are already accounted for under the category of Maritime Division
WMBE Firm Partnerships
The Port worked with 400 WMBE firms, short of achieving its 2025 goal of working with 500
WMBE firms annually but showing an increase from the 388 WMBE firms it worked with in
2024.
2026 DIVISON/DEPARTMENT WMBE GOALS
The Port’s Diversity in Contracting goals for 2026 is 16% spend with WMBE firms and 500
WMBE firms utilized annually.
For 2026, the Port-wide construction WMBE goal is 14%. As demonstrated in 2025, achieving
higher construction utilization is necessary to advance Port-wide (construction and non-
construction) WMBE utilization.
For 2026, the non-construction WMBE goal is 16%, representing an estimated $34 million in
WMBE spend based on a projected $227 million in non-construction spend. The following table
provides the 2026 WMBE aspirational percent goals per division. The goals and figures below
are estimates and we expect not all spending may be realized, and actual results may vary.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11c Page 5 of 6
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
2026 Non-Construction WMBE Goals
Division
Projected Total
Spend
($ Millions)*
2026 WMBE
Projected Spend
($ Millions)*
2026 WMBE
Goal
Aviation Division
140.1
19.6
14%
Corporate
57.2
10.2
18%
Economic Development Division
4.2
0.2
5%
Maritime Division
25.2
3.5
14%
*Figures above are estimated, actual amounts may vary
CONCLUSION
Under the Diversity in Contracting (DC) Policy Directive, amended July 8, 2025, the Port’s efforts
in setting and meeting annual non-construction goals by division continue to be successful.
Port total spend on non-construction has steadily risen for the past five years from $206M in
2021, to arrive at $379M in 2025, accompanied by consistently high WMBE utilization ranging
from 15.4% to 17.6% in those respective years.
Regarding construction, total spend continued to grow rapidly year-over-year for the past four
years from $202M spend in 2022, to triple that to $611M in 2025. Construction WMBE
utilization had also trended upward year-over-year during that time from 8.5% in 2022 to 13.8%
in 2025. The historical peak reached in 2025 was made possible by the alternative delivery
projects like General Construction/Construction Management (GC/CM) projects.
Although the Port did not achieve the 16% overall WMBE utilization goal, the Port’s spend with
WMBE businesses reached the historic high of 15.3%, as well as a historic high of working with
400 WMBE firms.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
June 24, 2025- Introduction Resolution 3836 Diversity in Contracting Directive
May 27, 2025- Diversity in Contracting Annual Report
April 16, 2024 – Diversity in Contracting Annual Report and 5 Year Review
January 23, 2024 – Commission Order to update the Port’s Diversity in Contracting goals for
2024
April 12, 2023 – Diversity in Contracting Annual Report
April 12, 2022 – Diversity in Contracting Annual Report
April 13, 2021 – Diversity in Contracting Annual Report
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11c Page 6 of 6
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
March 26, 2019 – Diversity in Contracting Annual Report
June 12, 2018 – Commission briefing on Diversity in Contracting program development
January 8, 2018 – Diversity in Contracting 2nd reading policy & passage of resolution 3737
December 19, 2017 – Diversity in Contracting Policy Review
December 12, 2017 - Women and Minority Business Enterprise Policy Review – Resolution 3737
(first reading)
December 5, 2017 - Women and Minority Business Enterprise Policy Review
November 28, 2017 –Women and Minority Business Enterprise Policy Review
October 24, 2017 - Women and Minority Business Enterprise Policy Review
July 12, 2017 – Commission Budget Priorities, Building Economic Opportunity in
Underserved Communities
March 28, 2017 – Small Business Development Update
March 22, 2016 – Small Business Utilization briefing
December 14, 2014 – Disparity Study briefing
August 19, 2014 – Small Business Utilization briefing
January 26, 2010 – Adoption of Resolution No. 3618 concerning small business utilization