Business & Workforce
Equity in Construction

Prosper Portland has contracted with KEEN Independent Research to obtain an updated disparity study in support of its Construction Business and Workforce Equity policies and program. Based on the results of the study, Prosper Portland may bring updated policies to the Board of Commissioners for its consideration later this fall. In the meantime, historic data reflecting past work under our existing policies may be found here, as well as copies of these existing policies.

Prosper Portland’s Equity Policy calls for all projects, initiatives, and investments to generate equitable outcomes. The agency adopted the Construction Business & Workforce Equity Policy to ensure construction and contracting investments provided equitable opportunities for underrepresented populations on agency-funded projects. Over the last 10 years, Prosper Portland has worked to increase equitable outcomes, with each successive policy direction expanding the scope and reach of our equity work.

Contact: Debra Lindsay, Construction Business and Workforce Equity Project Manager
lindsayd@prosperportland.us

Our 2015 Strategic Plan made equity and inclusion the foundation of our work, with equitable construction and contracting a specific outcome in the goal to foster wealth creation within communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.

Our commitment is to ensure that our significant investments in construction provide job opportunities for underrepresented populations, particularly women and people of color.

Prosper Portland’s Business Equity Program centers on improving the success of local small businesses and supporting the growth of construction and development firms owned by women and people of color.

The Workforce Training and Hiring Program identifies specific steps for contractors, developers and borrowers conducting work on Prosper Portland’s behalf to maximize apprenticeship and job opportunities in the construction trades for women and people of color.

The Prosper Portland Construction Business and Workforce Equity Policy includes programs for both Business Equity and Workforce Training and Hiring.

Prosper Portland’s Business Equity Program Specifications apply to:

  • Construction projects that Prosper Portland owns
    • with construction costs greater than $300,000
  • Construction projects that Prosper Portland sponsors
    • that receive more than $300,000 of agency resources and
    • with construction costs greater than $300,000
  • Land sales made by Prosper Portland
    • where the purchase price is greater than $300,000 and
    • with expected construction costs greater than $300,000.

Prosper Portland’s aspirational goal is that 22% of construction costs are awarded to firms certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE), Woman-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), Emerging Small Businesses (ESB), Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (VBE) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (SDVBE).

Prosper Portland’s Workforce Training and Hiring Program Specifications apply to:

  • Construction projects that Prosper Portland owns
    • with construction costs greater than $300,000
  • Projects that Prosper Portland sponsors
    • with construction costs greater than $1,000,000.
  • Land sales made by Prosper Portland
    • where the purchase price is greater than $500,000 and
    • with expected construction costs greater than $1,000,000.

The Workforce Equity Policy has a mandatory program requirement that the contractor and sub-contractors utilize state-registered apprentices for 20% of labor hours in each apprenticeable trade. The Policy includes aspirational goals for a percentage of total hours on the project going to People of Color and Women. This aspirational goal increases from year to year.

Documents

Equity Policy

Construction Business and Workforce Equity Policy

Business Equity Program Specifications

Workforce Training and Hiring Program Specifications

Data

The data below details the performance on projects within the last three years where our Business & Workforce Equity Policy applies (see above for details). Please note that for projects under construction, the data will be updated to reflect project progress.

Legend

Construction data legend: SDV = Veteran, DBE = Disadvantaged, ESB = Emerging, WBE = Women, MBE = Minority

Construction Data

Professional Services Data