NASHVILLE BUSINESS ALLIANCE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE SUPPORTS MAYORAL EQUITY PACKAGE FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY BUSINESSES
The Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Committee is pleased to support the Equal Business Opportunity legislation and the Small Business Reserve Program as announced today by Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley. Metro Council will hear the legislation in December. A vote on the matter is not expected until January 2019.
NASHVILLE (November 28, 2018) – The Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Committee is pleased to support the Equal Business Opportunity legislation as announced today by Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley.
The pending policy change is designed to ensure more women and minority owned businesses receive an equitable distribution of public contracts. The legislation would formally establish the Equal Business Opportunity Program and require Metro Nashville to – among other things – implement race and gender conscious subcontracting goals, based on market availability, for all public contracts. This is a significant departure from the current ordinance, which allows for a race and gender neutral subcontracting program.
Councilmember Tanaka Vercher, along with Councilmembers Sharon Hurt and Scott Davis, sponsored the measure. Council will hear the legislation in December. A vote on the matter is not expected until January 2019.
“I am pleased that the Equal Business Opportunity Program is one gigantic step forward to ensure the equitable distribution of public contracts,” said Michael Carter, co-founder of Pinnacle Construction Partners, LLC. “Our Nashville economy is vibrant and thriving. Women and minority business owners provide real jobs that help increase the financial stability for many, and drive economic growth. Our ongoing public and private sector challenge is a commitment to leveling the economic playing field. For far too long, qualified and capable women and minority business owners have been overlooked and underutilized for public and private business sector work. I applaud and I’m please that Mayor David Briley has said this economic disparity will not continue on his watch.”
Additionally, the Alliance supports Mayor Briley’s announcement of the Small Business Reserve Program. This program allows Metro-Nashville to unbundle select public contracts to allow small businesses to compete for contracts on a tiered basis. Under the Small Business Reserve Program, small businesses – regardless of the owner’s race or gender – will compete for select projects based on size, scope, and capacity.
The small business initiative will not require Metro-Nashville Council approval.
The policy, programmatic, and procedural changes come on the heels of Metro Nashville’s most recent disparity study. The study found that the city’s procurement processes discriminated against women and minorities in its awarding of public contracts. It also found, among other findings, that women and minority businesses were underutilized in public work.
The shifts announced by Mayor Briley seek to remedy these issues.
The Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Committee launched on November 1. The purpose of the organization is to advocate for public policy and private sector support of minority and women-owned companies seeking to do business with government agencies and private businesses by expanding contracting opportunities and increasing the procurement dollars spent with these businesses.
“My excitement for this business equity package is not just about me or my business,” Carter said. “This is about the hundreds upon hundreds of Nashville area businesses who will now have an equitable opportunity to grow their business, create jobs and personal net worth.”
To learn more about the Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Committee, visit nashvillebusinessalliance.com.
For more information or to interview members of the Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Group, contact Ashley Northington via e-mail at ashley@denorbrands.com.
