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For part one of this article, which appeared in the 91视频 on Dec. 18, 2024, I interviewed Amy James Neel of Portland Community College about PCC鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) criteria for proposals. This time, I interviewed Hanna Emerson-Steed, the director and chief procurement officer at Oregon State University (OSU).

Unlike PCC, OSU does not have set percentage requirements for utilization of MWESB (minority-owned, woman-owned, emerging small business, and service-disabled veteran business enterprise) or COBID (Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity) certified firms on its project teams, but it does encourage proposers to be as inclusive as possible. Within an RFP, proposers can expect to answer questions about who these MWESB and/or COBID firms are and how they meet the criteria, a firm鈥檚 description of nondiscrimination practices, a narrative of a firm鈥檚 current workforce diversity plan, and a description of how the team will work according to the means and methods described in that workforce diversity plan.

OSU accepts both certified and self-certified firms. COBID is not more advantageous than MWESB, according to OSU. 鈥淚f you are a small entity, you聽must聽pick where your time and effort is spent,鈥� Emerson-Steed said, adding that OSU understands the significant cost and rigorous process to become COBID certified.

To successfully meet OSU鈥檚 DEI expectations, Emerson-Steed encourages firms to look at the school鈥檚 website, which has information within its construction and design standards for inclusivity, covering a host of requirements for creating a welcoming environment where all can participate equally. In addition, the university has an Equity Data Insight Portal that鈥檚 worth exploring to get a sense of what it tracks as well as its demographics and commitment to DEI both on campus and with its staff.

Besides researching online, Emerson-Steed suggests AEC firms ask questions at pre-proposal meetings, adding that OSU doesn鈥檛 penalize people for this. In addition, firms are welcome to reach out to the department anytime (even if there isn鈥檛 an RFP) if it is looking to strengthen its workforce diversity plan.

MWESB inclusion & workforce diversity plan responses

Since OSU does not have a targeted percentage that must be met for project teams, I asked if, all things being equal, it would still go with the team that had the most diversity. 鈥淥ur selection committee evaluates everything in a proposal but the workforce diversity section; that is scored by a separate committee,鈥� Emerson-Steed said. Although 10 MWESB team members are better than eight, she said there鈥檚 a lot more to that section鈥檚 scoring. The review team wants to see growth in that area 鈥� not just with team members but with in-house workforce plans. The team wants to see the data and how a firm has changed and developed over the years.

Emerson-Steed also explained that different people may be evaluating proposals on different RFPs. Therefore, some evaluators may not know that a company has 50 percent more participation than in its last project. Because of this, OSU asks for a three-year track record, so firms are evaluated fairly. 鈥淚 firmly believe that no one should get a perfect score in this section 鈥� there鈥檚 always work to be done,鈥� she added.

Responding to how firms work with MWESB communities

OSU is interested in the methodologies each firm uses to meet these communities and add them to its team. Is a firm simply posting opportunities in one place and hoping someone will see them, or is it hosting events to get to know these MWESB firms in earnest? It鈥檚 the difference between checking the compliance box or moving to the next level where a firm is looking at meaningful, actionable change.

鈥淢aybe you took a massive electrical package and brought in an MWESB firm to build their skill set so that they can work with OSU in a larger capacity,鈥� Emerson-Steed said. She also

recommended alternatives to on-the-job training. Firms can consider training MWESBs in marketing or helping them implement billing systems 鈥� assisting with any technical barriers these firms might have.

As for large subcontractors designating a percentage of the work to small firms, Emerson-Steed said there are alternate ways to put a team together. 鈥淲e want our design professionals and general contractors to build the best team,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut you can mentor them by subcontracting a portion of the job as a learning experience.鈥�

Statement of nondiscrimination practices

Although it helps to be familiar with federal and state practices, OSU has nondiscrimination policies and practices for the institution. They are on the front page of every solicitation and Emerson-Steed said it鈥檚 a good idea to understand them. These statements are good, but OSU is looking for something more forward-thinking and she said it鈥檚 important to shy away from boilerplate information. OSU would like to see specifics within that policy that demonstrate active engagement. This can include annual staff trainings, DEI workshop attendance, and/or specific initiatives in the workplace to combat disparities.

There are retention issues when women and people of color are underrepresented in the workplace. In those circumstances, such employees tend to leave because they feel uncomfortable and without peers. OSU wants to know what firms are doing to keep them on staff and to attract their peers. What offers and opportunities are you creating? Have you enabled them to connect with other communities they are interested in? What are you actively doing versus just hiring someone? 鈥淭here’s a pivot where people talk about DEI, but there鈥檚 another letter on the end of that and it鈥檚 a 鈥楤鈥� for belonging,鈥� Emerson-Steed said. 鈥淪o, we get the diversity, we get the equity, we get the inclusion, but we all know what it feels like to belong, because if you don鈥檛, you know it.鈥�

One example Emerson-Steed has is to bring in an architect of color within your firm for design reviews. She notes that the person will see the project with different eyes and be able to advise the team on areas within the design that aren鈥檛 inclusive of their culture.

Does including specialized subs bolster a proposal?

Emerson-Steed said OSU is asking firms to use their knowledge, skills, and expertise to put the best team together for the job. If a firm doesn鈥檛 have the required expertise, it鈥檚 wise to bring in a sub for that. She also noted that if it鈥檚 a sub you haven鈥檛 teamed with, you have the extra challenge of demonstrating how that relationship will work. However, she said she doesn鈥檛 think it鈥檚 necessarily a deal-breaker. 鈥淭hey partnered somewhere, and it was very successful somewhere, so you just have to show us what you鈥檙e going to do to make it work,鈥� she said. Emerson-Steed emphasized that OSU selection committees can 鈥渟niff from a mile away鈥� when team members have just met for the first time in the lobby before the interview.

OSU can also spot if the team relationships are genuine. 鈥淚 have seen more junior members of teams, more women and people of color brought in on teams, that are dominated in a conversation by someone,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can tell you it matters 100 percent. You may have come in as the number one proposing firm, and that interview will make the difference.鈥�

Debriefs

Emerson-Steed stresses the importance of debriefs, even for successful proposers. 鈥淚f I could emphasize that more than anything, there鈥檚 always something you can learn.鈥� On the flip side, she said that OSU likes to learn what it can do better. What wasn鈥檛 clear in the RFP? Was it too wordy? Was a goal or outcome omitted that would have been helpful when preparing a response? 鈥淭his is of great importance and significance to us,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want to know this so that we can also improve.鈥�

Julie Flattery has worked in the architecture, engineering and construction industries for more than 30 years and uses this knowledge to help firms improve their verbal and visual communications. She also teaches workshops on the art of proposal creation through a co-owned business: Deconstructed Workshops (www.deconstructedworkshops.com). Contact her at [email protected].

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91视频 guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.