Cities of Brookline and Somerville Launch DBE/SDB Study

The aim is to help small and disadvantaged firms get more government contracts.

Source : Contractor News

April 20, 2023

Author : Patty Allen

Massachusetts offers a wealth of public contracting opportunities at all levels of government. 

The Town of Brookline and the City of Somerville's local administrations, for example, use direct marketing, outreach, networking, and other methods to make public contracting opportunities available to disadvantaged businesses (DBEs) and Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs). 

Brookline and Somerville are collaborating on a disparity study to promote racial, social, and gender equity in their communities and across their jurisdictions. Its main goal is to identify if and to what extent DBEs/SDBs face prejudice and impediments that cause a quantitative, statistically significant difference in government purchasing.

The administration wants to develop a sustainable, equitable, scalable contracting environment and remove DBE/SDB entry hurdles

The goals of the disparity study include but are not restricted to the following:

  • Determine whether there is a legally defensible basis for establishing a race and/or gender-aware contracting program, "sheltered market," and the most appropriate and successful parameters of such a program.
  • Analyze the current availability of previously underutilized firms in the relevant market region of the jurisdictions that provide professional services, construction services and materials, and other supplies and services.
  • Determine and suggest the particular steps that can be taken to increase participation by DBEs and SDBs without discrimination.
  • Assess, analyze, and evaluate the presence, amount, and degree of marketplace discrimination against minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, disabled-owned, and LGBTQ-owned businesses. 
  • Provide practical, implementable ideas to increase DBE/SDB participation in public contracting. 
  • Implement a feasible, appropriate, and transparent system for tracking and validating statistics on DBE/SDB involvement in public contracting. 

Category : Minority Business Enterprises Minority Women Business Enterprises Women Business Enterprises Disparity Studies

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