The City Council of Oakland, California has passed an ordinance aimed at creating easier access to city contracts for local small, POC-led, and women-owned businesses.

Council members Loren Taylor and Treva Reid co-authored the ordinance. The ordinance will revise the city’s current enterprise program with the goal of expanding access to various resources including contract bid discounts and small business mentorship programs. 

The revamped program will designate a portion of contacts for public works projects to small local contractors including construction and professional service contracts under $50,000 for local small businesses. In addition, a fourth category of local businesses will be added called “jumbo local” business enterprises. 

According to a disparity study commissioned in 2017, black contractors and female contractors of all ethnic backgrounds were shown to receive a low amount of the city available contracts. 

“This is just the beginning,” Taylor said. “We have a long way to go to reverse systemic racism and structural barriers that have long plagued Black-owned businesses and women-owned businesses when it comes to accessing their fair share of contracting opportunities.”