| Diverse Contractor and Local Workforce Outreach and Training: Includes Local, SBE, MBE, WBE, DBE, DVBE and Section 3 outreach, information, and recruitment campaigns to attract a diverse contractor, subcontractor, vendor, and workforce pool for public contracting/employment opportunities; targeted, project-specific outreach; referral services for business assistance, bonding, entrepreneurial training, and financial resources for contractors; referral services for apprenticeship, internship, and job placement for local workforce; liaison services with small/diverse business assistance centers (chambers of commerce, SBDCs, local SBA offices, etc.) and local workforce development centers; verification of SBE/MBE/WBE/DBE/DVBE/Section 3 eligibility; referrals to certifying agencies; assistance with the certification process; proactive contract compliance training in areas including Labor Compliance, Section 3, Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action, etc.; additional training workshops in areas including marketing, public contracting, certification, etc.
Small, Local, and Diversity-Based Program Development/Administration: Includes the development of strategies for small, local, minority-owned, woman-owned, disabled veteran-owned, disadvantaged, local, and/or Section 3 business participation on public agency contracts and procurements; detailed program implementation plans, policies, procedures, and operational guidelines; evaluation of existing programs to meet regulatory mandates; industry-specific target group marketing; business/community diversity studies; identification of certified SBE/MBE/WBE/DVBE/DBE firms; referrals to certifying agencies; assistance with the certification process; establishment of Program goals and standards; development of Good Faith Effort (GFE) criteria; evaluation of GFE, bids, and proposals for meeting Program and contractual requirements; development and maintenance of relevant databases; liaison services/coordination with business resource/business assistance centers (chambers of commerce, SBDCs, local U.S. SBA offices, etc.); development of comprehensive compliance programs; compliance monitoring via contractor audits, field inspections, and on-site interviews; recommendation of appropriate actions for willful non-compliance; tracking of Program costs and effectiveness; historical research for program justification; development of executive/annual reports and stakeholder presentations.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Development/Consulting: Includes the establishment of DBE Programs for FHWA, FAA, and FTA federally-funded construction and design projects in accordance with federal guidelines; detailed implementation plans and program policies and procedures; coordination of required DBE forms; development of DBE and Underutilized Disadvantage Business Enterprise (UDBE) contract-specific goals; documentation of research and methodology; review of bid spec/RFP/RFQ language to include Program elements and contractual requirements; proactive contractor/consultant training on DBE Program and contractual responsibilities; development of comprehensive outreach plans and strategies to market clients and their projects to qualified DBEs; identification of effective targeted/ethnic, as well as race-neutral, outreach venues to attract/recruit qualified DBEs for agency projects; referrals to certifying agencies; assistance with the certification process; contract monitoring, audits, contractor interviews, and field observations to verify DBE utilization; contract close-out DBE attainment reports; evaluation of existing DBE Programs and audit of clients’ DBE procedures and operational guidelines to ensure conformance with state/federal laws.
Diversity-Based Certification Consulting: Includes research and dissemination of up-to-date information regarding accepted certifications and diversity-based participation programs of major California public agencies; assistance to companies seeking certification designations such as SBA 8(a), Federal HUD Section 3, Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE); assessment of applicant’s ownership/control, financial information, and employee base; determination of certification(s) for which the applicant is eligible; assistance with certification document preparation; final review of application package; submittal of certification application to the proper agency(ies) for approval.
Vendor/Supplier Diversity Programs: Includes the development of strategies to attract and retain a diverse pool of vendors and suppliers for contracting and procurement opportunities; detailed program implementation plans; establishment of program policies in conformance with clients’ operational procedures; identification of targeted outreach events, vendor fairs, etc. to recruit qualified businesses; targeted outreach in commodity/service disciplines in need of a larger and/or more diverse vendor/supplier pool; development and maintenance of vendor/supplier databases; development/ tracking of vendor/supplier pre-qualification information to expedite the procurement process; reports on program goals, progress, and results. |
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