Commission 2018
Budget Priorities
Equity and Associated Policies:
Priority Hire, WMBE, Quality Jobs


1

Addressing Historic Inequities
Equity Lens
WMBE Policy
Workforce Disparity/Priority Hire
Job Quality

Port Culture Change
2

Equity Definition
Equity refers to equal economic, political and social rights
and opportunities.
In 2016 the Port's executive team made a commitment to
become an anti-racism organization that courageously
addresses obstacles to and opportunities for increasing
equity in the agency's policies, procedures and practices. 

Port of Seattle Working Definition
3

Equity Context
We recognize the negative impact of institutional and structural racism. Building
capacity to address racism will improve our ability to recognize and address other forms
of discrimination such as sexism and heterosexism.
At the Port of Seattle, diversity is viewed as a source of possibility and strength. It is not
an initiative or campaign. Rather, it is integral to policy, processes and programs that are
woven into all daily activities within the port community. This effort is integral to:
The core values of the organization
Pursuing our mission and the Century Agenda
Attracting and retaining talent with shared values
Improving the quality of work-life integration
Sustaining an environment that treats people and communities fairly and equitably

Diversity is a strength for the organization
4

Race and Place Matter
Source: King County Office of Equity and Social Justice 








5

A Closer Look: Income by Race & Place
Source: King County Office of Equity and Social Justice






difference of
$74.7K                        $38.7K 
36K

Equity Status Update
October 2016 - POS ELT attends Undoing Institutional Racism and establishes
commitment to build an anti-racist Port of Seattle

January August 2017 - ELT and other Port leaders met with equity leaders from the City of
Seattle, King County, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, and Nike to explore
effective approaches to equity, diversity and inclusion.

April 2017 - The Port joins The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a national
network of governments working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all

May 2017 - A cross-port design team meets to begin work on the Port's Model of Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion
Human Resources pilots a training for employees on Institutional Racism and Courageous
Conversations

May 2017 - Energy and Sustainability Workgroup of the POS Commission recommends
establishing a POS Equity policy
7

Equity Next Steps
July 2017 - Complete request for staffing and funding

December 2017 - Complete Model Design, establish content of POS
Equity Policy with GARE support and community engagement

December 2017 - Identify a "Home" for the resources 

2018 - Pilot the Model in three (3) departments and evaluate

8

Priority Hire Definition
Community workforce provision in Project Labor Agreements
Establishes hiring/utilization goals to increase women, people of color
and those from economically distressed ZIP codes
Union halls agree to dispatch Priority Hire workers out of order
Provides contractor access to a trained workforce
Creates economic growth in economically distressed areas
Why partnership is important (next slide!)

Priority Hire Context
City of Seattle and King County Priority Hire
presented at Projects and Procurement Committee
Partnership with Regional Public Owners group to
develop strategies to strengthen and diversify the
apprenticeship pipeline across the region
Initial investments in Community Outreach and
Referral
Regional supply-demand study in process

Priority Hire Helps Fill Workforce Pipeline

Construction Apprenticeship Status
Disaggregated by Race



King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties; 2011-2015 average
Source: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 2016; Community Attributes Inc., 2016.

STRENGTHEN & EXPAND THE PIPELINE FOR LOCAL WORKERS
- Expand pathways to apprenticeships


- Strengthen retention and completion rates


- Align & champion efforts for greater diversity


- Share accountability for common outcomes

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Priority Hire Next Steps and Resources
Next Steps
Stakeholder Engagement
Community, Labor, AGC, contractors and Small & Minority Owned Businesses
Focus Groups with apprentices of color
Develop Internal Processes and Requirements
Identify Internal Infrastructure Needed for Success
Resources
Additional FTEs may be needed to support new functions within Economic Development and Capital
Development
Port Staff will know what type of resources are needed to implement the policy by late September

Priority Hire Policy Directive will be brought to Commission along with budget ask 
14

WMBE Policy Working Definition
Every procurement greater than $299K includes a WMBE goal
Setting Division level goals for performance and accountability
Bids not meeting or exceeding WMBE goals are considered non-
responsive
Strict payment terms
Primes must agree to prompt payment terms (whether or not their invoice has
been paid by the City of Seattle)
Contract award recipients must submit utilization reports in order to receive
payment

15

Small Business and WMBE Context
Small business utilization numbers are good
Disadvantaged business results are not:
Port of Seattle     5.3% (WMBE)   All Certified and
Self-Identified
Sound Transit     15.7% (DBE)   Construction and
A&E Only
City of Seattle     15.8% (WMBE)   All Certified and
Self-Identified
New policy can address disparities and level playing field
16

WMBE Context


17

Small Business Next Steps
1.  Immediate Steps to Improve Opportunities for Small Business 
Continue to offer "PortGen" training sessions for small businesses (typically focused on
specific bid opportunities)
Develop and distribute list of WMBE firms to Port staff with purchasing authority
Simplify contract terms for small works projects
2.  Steps to Implement by end of 2017 
Adjust insurance endorsement requirements for Small Works and IDIQ consulting contracts
until work order/service directives issued. For Major Construction the Port will get insurance
endorsements as well as performance and payment bonds after contract execution and before
physical work begins.
Clarify consulting contracts reimbursements for time associated with AV badges.
CPO to work with Risk Management on insurance requirements and consider reimbursing
firms for extra or special insurance (such as insurance for driving in AOA).
WMBE/Small Business Policy Forums to Guide Policy Development
18

WMBE Next Steps and Resources
1.  Small Business Policy Forums
Initial meeting on June 13th with small businesses do and do not have experience contracting with Port
Ethnic community leaders meeting on July 20th to get input on Port proposed WMBE policy
Two more meetings proposed to get input on proposed new small business resolution
2.  Update the Port's small business resolution (3618) in Q4 2017 
Write resolution based on input from key stakeholders
Draft resolution should be ready for initial review by Commission in late September
3.   Implement City of Seattle's Small Business Utilization Best Practices 2018 
Port staff team meeting with Seattle staff to identify implementation objectives
Organizational changes/enhancements identified by September
4.   Resources
City of Seattle uses WMBE specialists to drive success. The Port may need to add 4-5 FTE to implement a WMBE
small business policy
Additional FTEs may be needed to support new functions within CPO and Capital Development
Port staff will know what type of resources are needed to implement in September

19

Quality Jobs Current Definition
Living Wage
Health Care (Affordable Care Act Compliant)
Other Benefits (PTO, Retirement, Education)

Weighing Costs and Regional Definitions
20

Context
April 1, 2015
City of Seattle Minimum
Wage Ordinance went
November 25, 2014        into effect
Port Commission adopted
motion regarding quality
October 7, 2014           jobs, service and
King County Ordinance       employment continuity
17909 address income       within the Sea-Tac Airport
November 5, 2013      inequality though        Dining and Retail (ADR)
Voters of the City of      requirement that a living      program.
wage be paid to county
SeaTac adopted        employees and to
Proposition 1 which      employees of certain
established minimum    county contractors
standards for wages
Minimum wage and living wages
21

Status Update
Quality Jobs Initiative
Motion on Quality Jobs for ADR (2014)
Commission Retreat Quality Jobs Discussion
(June 27, 2017)
Quality Jobs Staff Working Group (first meeting on
July 20, 2017)

Next Steps
Port Staff Working Group to provide a recommendation to
Commission
Q4 2017  Port-wide Quality Jobs Policy Directive
Quality Jobs program development for contracts
Q4 2017   Identifying resources (FTEs/budget) required for a program (Q3 2017)
Q1 2018  Quality Jobs program execution phase 1