City of Seattle, WA
11/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/07/2024 11:50
Discover SDOT’s Women & Minority Business Enterprise Program and participate in the 2024 Reverse Vendor Trade Show on November 13
Women- and minority-owned small business leaders chat with City of Seattle staff at a Capital Consultant Connection event in May which was co-organized by SDOT. Photo: SDOT
Blog stats: 600 words | 3-minute read
At-a-glance:
- Did you know? The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has a Women & Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) program to support consulting and purchasing opportunities for small businesses historically underrepresented in government contracting.
- Our team works year-round to foster relationships and provide clear, timely information and resources to support inclusive contracting to support wealth-building for WMBE firms.
- This blog post details our WMBE program and how you can be a part of it.
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Looking for in-person networking opportunities? Look no further. The 2024 Reverse Vendor Trade Show is on Wednesday, November 13 (11AM - 3PM) at the Seattle Center.
- This is an opportunity to meet directly with public agency staff from the City of Seattle and other agencies to showcase your products and services.
The City of Seattle actively supports women- and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBEs) on City contracts as both primes and subcontractors. Each City department establishes plans and annual voluntary goals for WMBE inclusion in consulting and purchasing contracts.
Here at SDOT, we have an equitable contracting program that seeks to:
- Maximize our use of WMBE firms to build generational wealth and reduce the racial wealth gap
- Fairly and equitably compensate community members and community-based organizations for their contributions to SDOT initiatives
- Evaluate the ways we approach contracting and the distribution of SDOT resources
Based on these goals, we support WMBE inclusion and contracting equity in the following ways:
- Support inclusive, open, and equitable consultant contracting and purchasing policies and practices
- Offer staff training and advisement
- Track WMBE utilization and achievement of departmental goals
- Engage with the WMBE community to increase access to SDOT and City work
We've had positive outcomes to date and made great progress in achieving our goals in this area. In 2024 to date (through Q3), we're nearly at our WMBE utilization target of 20% in purchasing (18%), and have exceeded our WMBE goal of 24% for consulting (28%). Over the past five years (2019-2023), SDOT has spent 35% of consulting dollars and 19% of purchases with WMBE firms, for a total of over $100 million going to women and minority-owned businesses during that time.
Beyond the numbers, we've forged close, meaningful relationships with many talented industry leaders in a variety of spaces, from public engagement and communications to construction management, bridge design, and safety equipment supply.
The City of Seattle also recently signed on to the Equity in Infrastructure Project pledge, joining many local and national agency partners in committing to increase our work with Historically Underutilized Businesses and grow generational wealth.
Don't forget - come talk with us at the Nov. 13 Reverse Vendor Trade Show at Seattle Center!
It's nearly here! RSVP today for the 2024 Reverse Vendor Trade Show event. Our team will be there alongside dozens of other public agencies to share resources, offer guidance, and forge connections with you and your team. Event details are below. We hope to see you!
2024 Reverse Vendor Trade Show
- Date: Wednesday, November 13, 2024
- Time: 11 AM - 3 PM
- Location: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
- Address: 301 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
If you'd like to stay up to speed on our WMBE program or want to pursue working with SDOT, please visit our website for more information and resources. You can also email us at [email protected].