Community Opportunities and Enhancements Program

The Community Opportunities and Enhancements Program (COEP) is a City of Portland strategy to increase access to the trades and to remove barriers for construction firms so that they can successfully participate in public contracting. The program is funded by a 1% set-aside of eligible costs on all City-owned public improvement contracts. Through a series of grants, the COEP provides workforce development and business technical assistance to accomplish its goals.

Who is the COEP program for?

This program is for:

  • Workers who are interested in a new career in the skilled trades
  • Businesses in need of technical assistance for bidding and working on City of Portland capital improvement programs

Service Providers

Please contact coep@prosperportland.us for a referral to one of our service providers.

LatinoBuilt

Provides bilingual/bi-cultural outreach, technical assistance and referrals to Latinx-owned construction firms.

Habla español

English: 503-969-7542
Español 503-908-4793
Info@latinobuilt.org
latinobuilt.org

Livelihood NW

Provides technical assistance and individualized one-on-one advising to construction firms.

503-990-8255
hello@livelihoodnw.org
livelihoodnw.org

National Association of Minority Contractors – Oregon

Provides outreach, technical assistance and referrals to minority-owned construction firms.

Habla español

503-288-1393
info@namc-oregon.org
namc-oregon.org

Professional Business Development Group

Provides technical assistance and individualized one-on-one advising to construction firms.

971-314-9840
information@pbdgweb.com
pbdg.org

Urban League of Portland

Provides outreach, technical assistance and referrals to Black-owned construction firms.

503-280-2600
smallbusiness@ulpdx.org
ulpdx.org

Please contact coep@prosperportland.us for a referral to one of our service providers.

Central City Concern

Provides multicultural outreach and construction career coaching services.

971-354-0506
Ahmed.Yusuf@ccconcern.org
centralcityconcern.org

Constructing Hope

Provides multicultural outreach, construction career coaching, pre-apprenticeship training and retention services.

503-281-1234
bobbyh@constructinghope.org
constructinghope.org

Oregon Tradeswomen

Provides multicultural outreach, construction career coaching, pre-apprenticeship training and retention services.

503-335-8200
Kelly@oregontradeswomen.org
oregontradeswomen.org

POIC

Provides multicultural outreach, construction career coaching, pre-apprenticeship training and retention services.

971-940-6437
construction@portlandoic.org
portlandoic.org

Portland YouthBuilders

Provides multicultural outreach, construction career coaching, pre-apprenticeship training and retention services.

503-286-9350
mary.hou@pybpdx.org
pybpdx.org

Urban League of Portland

Provides multicultural outreach and construction career coaching services.

503-280-2600
BHernandez@ulpdx.org
ulpdx.org

The Current Workforce

Based on the next five years of planned public projects over $15 million, the current workforce provides only:

68% of needed workers who are People of Color

30% of needed workers who are women

This shows a critical need to train more women and people of color if we are to achieve the stated workforce diversity goals in the region.

Source: Portland Metro Region Construction Workforce Market Study

  • Program Design

    Concepts

    Over the past few years, there has been substantial stakeholder outreach, focus groups and reporting related to construction workforce and business support. We’ll continue to rely on the expertise of community and construction stakeholders and solicit ongoing feedback for improvement as we act on what we’ve learned and deploy resources through the COEP. The reports used in COEP grant program design identified these concepts:

    • Transparent and consistent long-term investment across regional projects will help workers and businesses remain engaged and expand their capacity to participate on future projects
    • Technical assistance would help M/W/DBE subcontractors to be more successful
    • Investments are needed to retain people of color and women in the trades
    • Additional pre-apprenticeship training program capacity is needed to meet the 5-year demand

    Focus Areas

    The COEP program design includes four focus areas that align with recommendations identified in the reports (see Reference, below):

    Business Technical Assistance

    Support contractors with bidding and estimating, managing cash flow, project management, trade/skills, bonding and insurance, workforce management and City software and procedures.

    Outreach and Recruitment of Diverse Workers

    Increase outreach to and recruitment of people of color and women into certified pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship, and provide supports to remove barriers to participation.

    Pre-Apprenticeship Training for Diverse Workers

    Increase outreach to and recruitment of people of color and women into certified pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship, and provide supports to remove barriers to participation

    Retention of Existing Workers (Apprentices and Journey Workers)

    Support diverse workers in their career progression through mentoring, networking, support services and efforts to improve jobsite culture

References

  • Minority Contractor Participation Equity Committee Report (12/18)

  • C2P2 (Estolano LeSar Advisors, 2018) Public Owner Workgroup Phase 1 Summary

  • C2P2 Summary of labor demand interviews

  • C2P2 Summary of training program interviews

  • Portland Metro Region Construction Workforce Market Study (WSI, Metro, 7/18)

  • Needs Assessment (Synergy Resources Group, 6/18)

  • Inclusive Procurement And Contracting (Emerald Cities, Policy Link, 3/18)

  • CBA Pilot Evaluation Report (Framework LLC, 5/16)

  • Report on CBA Pilot Projects (CBA Labor Management Community Oversight Committee, 4/16)

FAQs

Workforce Development – Steps for Workers 

  1. Contact the Program Manager to discuss your pre-apprenticeship needs and get connected to the appropriate service provider. 
  2. Connect with a pre-apprenticeship partner to take the first steps toward your new career in the skilled trades. 
  3. Be prepared to do the work necessary to complete your pre-apprenticeship. 
  4. Enjoy the process and reap the rewards of your hard work as a skilled trades worker.  

Business Technical Assistance – Steps for Business Owners 

  1. Contact the Program Manager to discuss your needs and get connected to the appropriate service provider.  
  2. Connect with your service provider and establish a work plan to prepare you for bidding and working on City of Portland capital improvement programs. 
  3. Be prepared to complete the steps outlined in the work plan. 
  4. Enjoy the process and expand your business capabilities. 

You can reach out to the COEP program manager via email: COEP@ProsperPortland.us

Please let us know if you are interested in pre-apprenticeship services or business technical assistance services. We will respond promptly.

Prosper Portland and WSI manage additional resources that will be leveraged with COEP, including business technical assistance thru community-based service providers, access to capital, training scholarships, on-the-job training, participant supports such as child care, transportation and jobsite readiness (tools, boots, etc), case management, and BOLI certified pre-apprenticeship training.

Prosper Portland will manage the day-to-day operations and implementation of the grant program. Prosper Portland will manage contracts with service providers, measure outcomes and support the community in accessing these services. Prosper Portland will subcontract with Worksystems, Inc (WSI) to manage the workforce development component of COEP.

Let’s get started

For more information and a referral to one of our service providers, contact Jerrohn Jordan at COEP@ProsperPortland.us