Overview
BBC, as part of a joint venture with Tiber Hudson and Pantera Management Group, conducted a disparity study for the District of Columbia related to its implementation of the Certified Business Enterprise Program to help local businesses, including many person of color (POC)- and woman-owned businesses, have an equal opportunity to participate in the organization’s contracts and procurements. We assessed disparities between the participation and availability of POC- and woman-owned businesses for contracts and procurements the District of Columbia awards and collected extensive quantitative and qualitative information about local marketplace conditions for businesses located in the region.
Community engagement
Disparity studies
Legal analysis
Policy analysis
Program development
Qualitative research
Quantitative research
Outcomes
Substantial disparities: BBC observed substantial disparities between the participation and availability of POC- and woman-owned businesses for construction, professional services, and non-professional services and goods contracts and procurements the District of Columbia awarded between 2016 and 2020 after accounting for statistical outliers. We also observed various barriers in human capital, financial capital, business ownership, and business success for POCs, women, and POC- and woman-owned businesses in the region.
Program development: We are currently working the District of Columbia to use information from the study to refine measures it uses to encourage the participation of POC- and woman-owned businesses in its work, including developing a race- and gender-conscious contract goals program.