The City of Tacoma has announced that it is beginning the process of conducting a disparity study. The study will examine the experiences of small, disadvantaged, minority-, and women-owned businesses in doing (or attempting to do) business with the City, with a particular eye to discovering whether or not there are statistically significant disparities in the availability of such firms relative to their utilization by the City.
The study will proceed by conducting direct outreach to small and diverse businesses in the area, in order to conduct interviews and gather personal experiences, as well as by means of statistical analysis of economic and City contract data. Once the study is completed and delivered, its conclusions may form part of the legal basis on which potential remedies are implemented to address any disparities that may have been found.
Business owners and other stakeholders are invited to provide input into the study by emailing tacomawadisparity2024@keenindependent.com or by calling (602) 704-0125. Questions about the study generally may be addressed to City of Tacoma Equity in Contracting and Workforce Programs Manager Kacee Woods at kwoods@cityoftacoma.org.
Read the City's press release at https://www.cityoftacoma.org/in_the_news/__availability_survey__for_city_s_2024_economic_disparity_study_begins_march_14.
Find the City's dedicated page for the disparity study (currently containing information about the past disparity study from 2018) at https://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_departments/community_and_economic_development/equity_in_contracting/disparity_study.
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