Equity in Contracting

Information

Contract Award, Payment, and Construction Workforce Summary

View dashboard

Click link to dashboard

About Equity in Contracting at PHB

The Portland Housing Bureau is dedicated to equity in contracting and workforce goals for minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses on our projects. It is a key component of the bureau's overall equity agenda. To promote these opportunities, PHB has adopted contracting policies on projects we fund with city and federal dollars. The Borrower of PHB funds shall use best efforts to comply with established City policies outlined in the Equity in Contracting and the Apprentice & Workforce Diversity Program by including provisions in its contract with its General Contractor that require the General Contractor and their subcontractors to comply with the specifications in connection to the project.

Equity in Contracting Program

The intent of PHB’s Equity in Contracting Program is to promote best practices and to ensure that PHB housing projects provide business opportunities for M/W/ESB construction-focused firms to build economic growth, increase capacity and to expand competition in the marketplace. PHB expects owners/developers awarded PHB funds to understand and emphasize the Aspirational Goals below when selecting a General Contractor (“GC”) and professional service providers.

  • Hard Cost Goal – a minimum of 30% of the total Hard Construction Costs shall be contracted to COBID firms (GC/Contractors or Subcontractors).
    • Hard Cost Subgoal – a minimum of 14% of the 30% Hard Construction Costs shall be contracted to D/M/WBE firms (GC/Contractors and Subs combined).
  • Professional Services Goal – a minimum of 20% of the total Professional Services budget shall be contracted to COBID firms.

Apprentice & Workforce Diversity Program

PHB’s Apprentice & Workforce Diversity Program ensures that PHB-funded construction projects offer equal opportunities in employment and that those who have been historically underused in the construction trades have access to jobs through training programs. 

Borrowers and their general contractors with project contracts valued at $300,000 or more and 300 or more jobsite hours in any given trade shall:

  • Ensure that 20% of labor hours in each apprenticeable trade is performed by state-registered apprentices. 
  • Strive to achieve workforce diversity goals of employing women and BIPOC individuals, including aspirational diversity goals for apprentice and journey-level hours worked, including:
    • 22% of the total apprentice hours and 22% of the total journey level hours shall be worked by BIPOC individuals
    • 9% of the total apprentice hours and 6% of the total journey level hours shall be worked by women

PHB is committed to contracting and workforce goals with public funds in a manner that benefits the entire community. Qualified DMWESB-SDVBE firms are determined by certification criteria established by the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), which administers the certification program.  These programs are designed to promote targeted outreach and economic opportunities for small businesses in the state.

*DMWESB-SDVBE: Disadvantaged, Minority, Women, Emerging Small Businesses, Service-Disabled Veterans Business Enterprisess