Oregon is moving forward with a statewide effort to make public contracting more fair, transparent, and accessible.
In 2022, the State of Oregon hired BBC Research & Consulting (BBC) to study whether businesses owned by people of color, women, and service-disabled veterans faced barriers when trying to get state contracts. As part of the study, BBC gave the state 29 recommendations to help increase the use of these businesses and address the disparities they found. To figure out how to implement the recommendations, DAS led a 13-month project with community members and state agencies. These workgroups acted as advisors by sharing guidance, real-world experiences, and subject-matter expertise to help DAS design and implement statewide strategies for procurement equity.
Using what was learned from the workgroups, DAS is focusing on removing barriers for businesses owned by people of color, women, veterans, and small Oregon businesses. The Disparity Study Roadmap Report details the analysis and advice from the workgroups for each recommendation and the next steps from DAS for implementation.