The City of Arlington has surpassed its target for awarding contracts to minority and women-owned businesses in the last fiscal year, hitting an impressive mark that speaks to the city's commitment to diversity in the marketplace. In a report presented to the Arlington City Council, figures indicated that for Fiscal Year 2024, the city granted 134 contracts worth a total of $161 million to local minority-owned and women-owned businesses, exceeding the aspirational goal of 30% with a substantial 38% awarded to MWBE businesses as the prime contractor, according to a news release from the city.
The Arlington MWBE Program, established in 2021 by the city's Office of Business Diversity, has been a crucial driver behind the increased participation, providing opportunities for companies like Morales Construction Services. Rey Morales, the company's owner, detailed in an interview with the City of Arlington's official website how the program has aided his business's growth. "I feel that as a minority-owned business, you have to work hard to prove yourself repeatedly. You don’t want someone to think you got the contract for that reason solely. So, one of the challenges is to perform, and I think we have done a great job of performing," Morales said. His company's recent $1.1 million renovation of the Arlington Tennis Center is a testament to their success in obtaining and fulfilling city contracts since 2016.
Arlington's Office of Business Diversity doesn't just set goals but actively works to ensure equity within the procurement processes for various services ranging from construction to consulting. The program sets expectations and mandates that contractors endeavor in good faith to include MWBEs in projects. This flexible approach considers numerous factors, including the availability of MWBEs, contract specifics, the city's previous MWBE participation, and price competitiveness.
The office has been active, connecting with organizations through monthly meetings, business diversity workshops, and local events. It partnered with Prosperity Bank to launch a Masterclass Series to help small business owners and entrepreneurs. This series, led by business experts, covered important topics for business growth and ended with some participants getting contract opportunities with the city.
There was a big increase in vendor registrations, with 916 new vendors signing up to work with the city in FY24. Of those, 228 were MWBE businesses, and 61 were based in Arlington, a major jump from the previous year's 180 MWBE registrations.
