Seattle – Social Equity in Purchasing and Contracting

The City seeks to offer the maximum practicable opportunity for increased participation by WMBE businesses, as long as such businesses are underrepresented, and to ensure that City contracting practices do not support discrimination in employment and the provision of services when the City procures public works, goods, and services from the private sector.

One of the most important policies in the Contract Equity Programs is the Women and Minority Business Enterprise program (WMBE) for construction, purchasing, and consulting contracts. The WMBE are  firms at least 51 percent owned by women and/or minority. Other is the Priority Hire for workforce equity in City construction contracts. The City promotes access to construction careers for women, people of color and others with social and economic disadvantages. On Jan. 29, 2015, Mayor Murray signed a new ordinance passed by Seattle City Council to approve a priority hire program for City public works construction projects of $5 million or more. Using City-funded construction projects, the Priority Hire Program will prioritize the hiring of residents that live in economically distressed areas, particularly in Seattle and King County.