Sound Transit, Washington Study

BBC conducted a disparity study analyzing the projects Sound Transit awarded between 2020 and 2024, the businesses to which it awarded those projects, and the businesses in the agency’s marketplace that could potentially perform work on those projects. As a continuation of that assessment, BBC conducted an economic impact study to assess and quantify the economic activity that the agency contributed to Sound Transit’s marketplace through its contracting and to examine how changes to its procurement policies and practices could affect those contributions.

BBC found that Sound Transit’s spending supports regional businesses by giving them the opportunity to increase revenue and build capacity. Its spend supports households and communities by providing access to more job opportunities and providing economic stability. Sound Transit’s spend with small businesses generates a greater return on investment than its spend with large businesses, and expanding its small business programs can create additional economic and community returns.

Click here for the 2026 Sound Transit Econimic Impact Study report.