Home Forward contracted with Hannah Martine of Portland Copywriting Inc. to
provide one-on-one business support and/or assessment to Home Forward ...
Annual Procurement and Equity Report April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013
This report provides an overview of our agency wide procurement activity, economic participation and Section 3 outcomes over the last fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2013. Procurement Activity Home Forward executed a total of 111 competitive 1 contracts between the period of April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013. The types of contracts executed were as follows: Competitive Contracts - Fiscal Year 2013 Type of Contract
Number of Contracts
Total Amount of Contracts
Total Amount of MWESB Contracts
Percent MWESB Utilization
Personal Service Informal ($100k)
9
$4,083,532
$615,295
15%
Construction/Maintenance
1
Informal ($100k)
11
$30,374,013
$14,286,230
47%
Total
111
$36,201,328
$15,558,426
43%
Competitive contracts do not include intergovernmental agreements, Short-Term Rent Assistance, cooperative procurements, nonprofit, or emergency contracts.
Economic Equity in Contracting Home Forward’s Board of Commissioners adopted the agency’s Economic Participation in Contracting Policy in 2006. This policy established the 20% aspirational goal for participation of target businesses2 on professional services and construction contracts and the 20% aspirational goal for apprenticeship labor hours for construction contracts over $200,000. In 2012, the board adopted resolution 12-03-04, which revised and renamed the policy to the current Economic Equity Policy. The revision included more robust requirements related to Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968, as amended in 1994. Section 3 compels Home Forward to ensure that employment, training, contracting and other economic opportunities generated by HUD financial assistance shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed to low and very-low income persons, particularly public housing residents, and to businesses that provide jobs to low and very-low income persons. Target Business Participation – Major Contracts As noted above, competitively bid contracts routinely meet the 20% goal for target business participation. Several major contracts are highlighted below for significant target business participation. Included is the contract with ZGF Architects for design services, the agency’s major professional service contract of the fiscal year.
Home Forward Major Construction Projects - Fiscal Year 2013
Project Name
Contract #
Total Contract Amount
Total Amount of MWESB Contracts
Stephens Creek Crossing HOPE VI Revitalization3
C1015
$34,336,160
$14,822,965
43%
C1200
$157,971
$68,000
43%
C1267
$2,526,000
$515,295
20%
Dekum Court Building Envelope Rehab Multnomah County Health Dept. Building Arch & Engr Services4
2
Percentage of MWESB Utilization
Target businesses are those companies certified by the State of Oregon as a Disadvantaged, Minority-owned, Women-owned or Emerging Small Businesses or Section 3 Businesses. 3,4 Ongoing projects, these amounts will change as the project progresses.
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Section 3 The 2012 revision to the agency’s Equity Policy included renewed emphasis of the federal Section 3 requirements. Home Forward was awarded a $50,000 grant from HUD to help us establish a more robust Section 3 program. Through this grant, a Section 3 coordinator was added to the procurement staff in 2012, thereby raising the profile and expectations for the program. Specifics tasks or initiatives undertaken include:
Home Forward contracted with Hannah Martine of Portland Copywriting Inc. to provide one-on-one business support and/or assessment to Home Forward residents who completed our “Business Bootcamp” program done in collaboration with Mt. Hood’s Small Business program. Home Forward established a six-week course with Micro Entrepreneur Services of Oregon (MESO) that focused on business basics, product development, marketing, financial management and operations. Upon completion and application submission, participants were included on the Section 3 list compiled by the City of Portland. Northwest College of Construction continues to be a first source of hiring for Section 3 apprentices. The City of Portland continues to monitor and enforce Section 3 and Workforce Training and Hiring Requirements. Home Forward continues to discuss a possible workforce agreement with the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Next steps include involving peer union organizations on the topic of a Section 3 workforce agreement. Recognizing our Strategic Operations Plan’s emphasis on family self-sufficiency, staff has pursued partnerships with local chambers and organizations to identify scholarship opportunities for Section 3 residents.
The Section 3 results for the federal fiscal year were submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development on January 10, 2013. This report provides information on hiring, training and contracting. Major highlights of the report include:
At Stephens Creek Crossing, 42% or 12 of the project’s 28 new hires were Section 3 residents. In addition, six individuals participated in training opportunities such as Portland Youth Build. Within Home Forward’s own employment, more than 80% of the new hires were Section 3 residents. In addition, Home Forward provided training to 29 Section 3 residents via internships or other business programs. Of the $18.5 million in construction activity at Stephens Creek Crossing, 33.7% or $6,230,000 was awarded to Section 3 Certified Businesses. 3
Conclusion Home Forward’s Equity Policy continues to deliver positive year-end outcomes. The agency has had a year of experience with the current Economic Equity Policy in place with its renewed emphasis on the Section 3 program. Results for FY2013 indicate improvement of Section 3 participation by both businesses and individuals. This improvement was noted during the HUD on-site review of the Stephens Creek Crossing HOPE VI grant when auditors recognized the Section 3 work to be “very clear and encouraging.” The agency’s experience in using multiple models for pursuing increased target business and Section 3 participation, the development of strategic initiatives aimed at family selfsufficiency, the enhancement of key strategic partnerships with local, state and national partners combined with best practices and diligent attention by Home Forward staff will continue to deliver increased economic opportunities for residents and target businesses.
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