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<TITLE>Subcontractor Utilization Tracking for A&E Contracts</TITLE>
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<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">To: All ODOT Regions, ODOT Major Projects Branch, ODOT Technical Services, ODOT Procurement Office, ODOT Office of Civil Rights, ODOT Technical Development Division, ODOT Maintenance Leadership Team, ACEC, A&E Consultants</FONT></P>
<P><U><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Background</FONT></U><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><BR>
Based on Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program requirements, the 2007 Disparity Study and a USDOT waiver, ODOT has the ability to set DBE utilization goals on contracts that include federal funding. For non-federally funded projects, there are requirements for Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (MWESB) programs using aspirational targets. These goal setting and reporting requirements apply to both construction and Architect and Engineering (A&E) firm utilization, however, ODOT’s focus has traditionally been on only construction. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">The most recent disparity study revealed ODOT’s lack of available A&E data, as compared to the availability of construction data, and identified the need to place an emphasized focus on data collection and review of A&E firm utilization. Without the data, ODOT and A&E firms cannot clearly demonstrate the opportunities we provide to develop a diverse workforce. The next disparity study is set to begin this month.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">While the process to collect the A&E data currently exists in our contracting documents, we as an agency have not applied it consistently for A&E and have focused on construction data. A team of Project Delivery, Civil Rights and Procurement Office staff has worked over the past two months to refocus the process for A&E data collection and to develop online guidance to implement. We have made one change to require this process as part of payment processing. Please refer to the online </FONT><A HREF="http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/CIVILRIGHTS/docs/SubcontractorUtilizationTrackingGuideFINAL.pdf."><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Trebuchet MS">A&E Subcontractor Utilization Data Tracking Guide</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> for details.</FONT></P>
<P><U><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Action Required</FONT></U><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">:<BR>
Effective immediately, my expectation is that we implement this protocol for all new and currently open A&E contracts. In order to report results, we will collect data for all payments made on contracts that were open as of October 1, 2007. ODOT's project managers/contract administrators will coordinate this effort. In the next few weeks, we will provide more detailed information on the process to collect that data. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact Michael Cobb, Manager, Office of Civil Rights, </FONT><A HREF="mailto:Michael.a.cobb@odot.state.or.us"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman">Michael.a.cobb@odot.state.or.us</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">, 503-986-5753, or Jill Miller, DBE/MWESB Program Manager, Office of Civil Rights, </FONT><A HREF="mailto:c.jill.miller@odot.state.or.us"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman">c.jill.miller@odot.state.or.us</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">, 503-986-4355.</FONT></P>
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