The state of Oregon's Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has commissioned BBC Research & Consulting (BBC) to conduct a disparity study to assess whether businesses owned by persons of color (POCs), women, and service-disabled veterans (SDVs) face any barriers as part of the state's contract and procurement processes. Information from the study will help inform the state's efforts to encourage the participation of POC, woman, and SDV-owned businesses in its work.
Study Analyses
The crux of the disparity study will be to examine whether there are any disparities between:
- The percentage of contract and procurement dollars the state spent with POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022, and
- The percentage of dollars POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses might be expected to receive based on their availability to perform specific types and sizes of state contracts and procurements.
The study will also provide information related to:
- Legal considerations surrounding POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned business programs and disparity study methodology;
- Marketplace conditions for POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses;
- Contracting practices and business assistance programs the state currently has in place; and
- Recommendations related to policies and programs the state could consider implementing to encourage the participation of POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses in its work.
Study Schedule
BBC initiated the disparity study in October 2022 and expects to complete the study by the end of October 2023.
Study Progress
The state will provide regular updates about BBC’s progress on the disparity study. Please check back periodically for those updates.
Project Initiation
The state and BBC initiated the 2023 State of Oregon Disparity Study in October 2022 with a series of meetings with various state agencies. BBC met with the state to introduce the study, answer questions, and begin the process of understanding contracting and vendor data the state maintains.
Data Collection
BBC began collecting data on contracts and procurements the state awarded during the study period as well as information about the vendors that participated in that work. The analysis of the data is underway, and expected to be completed by August 2023.
Stakeholder Engagement Sessions
In December 2022, DAS and BBC conducted six stakeholder engagement sessions, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in virtual sessions to learn about the study and share verbal or written insights about their experiences working in the Oregon marketplace.
In April 2023, DAS and BBC conducted three stakeholder engagement sessions, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in virtual sessions to learn about the study and share verbal or written insights about their experiences working in the Oregon marketplace.
Next Steps
BBC will engage in the following disparity study tasks in the coming months:
Stakeholder Engagement Sessions: The study team will host two (2) stakeholder engagement sessions via Zoom to give a presentation about the study, answer questions, and collect verbal or written insights from attendees about their experiences working in the Oregon marketplace.
Disparity Analysis: The disparity analysis will examine the difference between the participation and availability of POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses in the state's contacting and procurement.
Report Writing and Final Presentation: The report will present results from the utilization, availability, and disparity analyses separately for relevant business groups. The report will also provide recommendations related to policies and programs the state could consider implementing to encourage the participation of POC-, woman-, and SDV-owned businesses in its work. BBC, in conjunction with the Department of Administrative Services, will host virtual meetings to share study results with interested stakeholders.
Key Contacts
If you have any questions or comments regarding the 2023 State of Oregon Disparity Study, please contact:
Christopher D. Wilson
Disparity Study Manager
Oregon Department of Administrative Services
971-283-4990
Alternatively, if you would like reach out to the project team, please contact:
Betsy Sava
Project Manager
BBC Research & Consulting
303-321-2547