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Members of Portland’s Equitable Contracting and Purchasing Commission intend to deliver a message to the City Council this week: The city’s record of incorporating minorities into public projects is dismal and becoming worse.

A outlines declining minority participation rates in workforce and subcontracting over the past three years across several demographics, including among Asian men, African-American women and Caucasian women.

Though the declines aren’t precipitous, the total hours worked by minorities are all dwarfed by the share worked by Caucasian men. For example, during 2014-15, African-American men worked 286 total hours, while Caucasian men worked 6,020.

Data has been a buzzword throughout the ECPC‘s first year of existence. Its volunteer members have repeatedly requested information further breaking down participation by race and gender. They’ve said city officials have tried to use misleading statistics to paint a rosier picture than what exists.

The monthly ECPC meetings have been scenes of tension, with members disagreeing over approach and expressing frustration with being stonewalled by city officials. Mayor Charlie Hales eventually attended an ECPC meeting in May, a month before relocating the nine-member panel from under the Office of Management and Finance to the Office of Equity and Human Rights.

The commission’s presentation includes information about seven recent resolutions passed by the City Council concerning equity in city contracting. The ECPC has been allotted 45 minutes before the council on Wednesday, beginning at 2 p.m.