“We believe that using contract dollars to give small firms opportunity is vital to long-term success – as a way of opening the door for other opportunities within the San Francisco Bay Area,” notes Boris. The Port’s outreach efforts continue to reach new contractors. Most recently, the Port coordinated with Merriwether and Williams Insurance Services to host a technical workshop for as-needed engineering, which was attended by 70 contractors. “We’ve had great turn out for our events, and we use them as opportunities to register more LBE firms,” explains Boris. “Interested contractors should connect with the City’s Contract Monitoring Division Team or visit our website to learn about upcoming events.”
(Port of San Francisco continued)
“Mayor Lee’s LBE ordinance has an aspirational goal of 40%,” adds Elaine, “and the Port has always exceeded that, with some projects at 55% to 90% LBE participation.” With the Bay Area’s aggressive construction economy, the Port has also encouraged Prime contractors to take on mentorship roles to increase the number of small, disadvantaged and underrepresented contractors who gain the experience needed to actively participate in public works projects. As those smaller contractors grow in knowledge and skill, they become mentors themselves.
The Port of San Francisco’s Contract Administrator, Boris Delepine. presents to attendees at the Port’s February 2019 Micro-LBE outreach event.