On this very Massachusetts-focused episode, learn more about the Supplier Diversity Office's (SDO) Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program (MCAMP) from our guest, Meghan Costa. Any State-assisted vertical construction project above $150,000 must comply with project-specific goals for participation of women-owned business enterprises (WBEs) and minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs). We discuss how goals are set, what compliance entails, and the resources available for OPMs, municipalities, contractors, and small businesses seeking certification.
Resources:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/supplier-diversity-office-sdo SDO Homepage
https://www.mass.gov/forms/take-the-certification-self-assessment SDO certification self-assessment
https://www.mass.gov/resource/resources-for-diverse-and-small-businesses Resources for Diverse and Small businesses
On this very Massachusetts-focused episode, learn more about the Supplier Diversity Office's (SDO) Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program (MCAMP) from our guest, Meghan Costa. Any State-assisted vertical construction project above $150,000 must comply with project-specific goals for participation of women-owned business enterprises (WBEs) and minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs). We discuss how goals are set, what compliance entails, and the resources available for OPMs, municipalities, contractors, and small businesses seeking certification.
Resources:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/supplier-diversity-office-sdo SDO Homepage
https://www.mass.gov/forms/take-the-certification-self-assessment SDO certification self-assessment
https://www.mass.gov/resource/resources-for-diverse-and-small-businesses Resources for Diverse and Small businesses
Andrea Bunker 0:00
Welcome to "Building Literacy: Public Library Construction", a podcast for librarians, trustees, and local officials who are exploring or undertaking a renovation, expansion, or new construction project for their library. My name is Andrea Bono-Bunker.
Lauren Stara 0:15
And my name is Lauren Stara. And we are the library building specialists who administer the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, a multi million dollar grant program run by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, which is the State agency for libraries.
Andrea Bunker 0:34
While this podcast is Massachusetts-focused, stakeholders in library building projects everywhere may find helpful information within these episodes. From fundraising and advocacy campaigns, to sustainability and resilience, to the planning, design and construction process, there is something for everyone. If there is a public library building project topic we have not covered but that is of interest to you, please email me at andrea.bunker@mass.gov
Lauren Stara 1:00
or me at Lauren.stara@mass.gov.
Andrea Bunker 1:05
We are so excited to have with us today Meghan Costa from the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), the newest agency in the Commonwealth to talk about MCAMP, which is the Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program. Did I get that right?
Meghan Costa 1:20
Yes, you did.
Andrea Bunker 1:22
So we're going to talk a little bit about their goals and the program and how it connects to construction projects in Massachusetts and construction projects in our program, the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program. So Meghan, would you like to introduce yourself? Tell us a little bit about yourself and a little bit about your office?
Meghan Costa 1:43
Why yes, thank you! First off, I'm Meghan Costa and I am the Construction in Persons with Disabilities Program Coordinator for the Supplier Diversity Office. I joined the Supplier Diversity Office in February of 2022. And I was coming from local 12 Plumbers Union Training Center. The Supplier Diversity Office is also known as the SDO for short. So if I say SDO, I'm referring to the Supplier Diversity Office, a Commonwealth of Massachusetts executive agency under the Administration and Finance Secretariat. The SDO's mission is to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in state contracting, and we offer several programs to support these goals.
Andrea Bunker 2:32
So these goals are something that our projects have to align with. So how does your office's work relate to the funded projects from our program, the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program, at the MBLC?
Meghan Costa 2:45
Projects funded by the MBLC are subject to our Municipal Construction Affirmative Marketing Program known as MCAMP. Our goal with MCAMP is to increase the participation of businesses owned by women and minorities known as WBEs, which are women owned business enterprises, and MBEs, which are minority owned business enterprises in municipal construction.
Andrea Bunker 3:15
And for us, the contracting authority with the general contractor and any subcontractors is the municipality. It is not a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. So that's where this becomes really important. While we can provide the information to our projects, and our OPMs, and our municipalities, they are the ones who are responsible for making sure that they meet these goals. Can you clarify what construction projects and MCAMP covers?
Meghan Costa 3:45
MCAMP relates to state-assisted building projects costing more than $150,000 that use Commonwealth money. This means all municipality building projects funded with state funds, such as reimbursement or grants. MCAMP covers vertical construction projects only, not roadways or horizontal construction, nor does it cover public works. We describe it generally as a project that are four walls and a roof, but each municipality and their staff should evaluate the legal definitions carefully for each project.
Andrea Bunker 4:23
So in these projects, the MCAMP focuses on the minority business enterprises, the MBEs and the women business enterprises, WBEs. So why are those categories the focus for this program?
Meghan Costa 4:37
It goes back to the goal of correcting disparities. MCAMP is closely related to the Commonwealth's main affirmative marketing program, which is managed by DCAMM, the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance. Both programs are rooted in a 2017 disparity study that looked at statewide construction inequities. Based on that study the SDO works closely with DCAMM staff to set project specific goals for MBE and WBE participation.
Andrea Bunker 5:10
So what is the process of setting those goals then through MCAMP?
Meghan Costa 5:14
We work with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, the MSBA. And now the MBLC, the Mass Board of Library Commissioners and local municipalities where projects are located. Working with them, we set goals for the MBE and WBEs. All MSBA and MBLC projects awarded have MBE and WBE project specific goals which the SDO calculates and sets in consultation DCAMM. These goals have become the requirements.
Lauren Stara 5:48
Somehow you use, let's say, municipal demographics or regional demographics to determine the goals for each specific project. Is that how it works?
Meghan Costa 6:00
Yes, we worked in consultation with DCAMM based on the data from the 2017 disparity study that was done across the State. And the metrics are pulled based on the geographic location and availability of minority owned business enterprises and women owned business enterprises based on that data from the disparity study.
Lauren Stara 6:23
That's really helpful, because I guess I had the idea that it was kind of a blanket requirement across the State, but it's really good that it's region specific. Thank you.
Meghan Costa 6:34
Yes.
Andrea Bunker 6:35
And is the 2017 study the reason why the goals increased in 2020, or is there another reason behind that, and how did those goals change?
Meghan Costa 6:45
Yes, it is directly related to the 2017 disparity study. The project specific goals under MCAMP were updated based on the 2017 disparity study. One of the bigger changes to our MCAMP program was the addition of project specific goals. The SDO focuses on the project specific goals only because we aren't the awarding authority. We want to make sure that the goals are in accordance with best practices and are based on the disparity study. This way, goals for MBEs and WBEs are based on the degree of availability in disparity for where a project is located. Each project is evaluated on a case by case individualized basis.
Andrea Bunker 7:32
When they go out to bid, say these projects don't receive responses from companies or firms that would help the municipalities meet these goals. What happens then? Are there specific requirements that they must follow or processes that they must follow to try to then get responses that would help them meet the goals?
Meghan Costa 7:57
That is a great and unexpected question, because I have just completed with my colleague, John Fitzpatrick, our new MCAMP guidelines that we will be publishing on our website within the next couple of weeks, which will walk the awarding authority, the OPM, as well as any contractors/subcontractors through the bidding process and the goal adjustment process, and it will direct them the next steps that must be taken in order to make a good faith effort to obtain and meet these benchmarks or goals.
Andrea Bunker 8:35
Lauren, it seems like you wanted a follow up question.
Lauren Stara 8:38
Yeah, I want to back up just a second. Because in order to get these project specific goals, it seems like a municipality has to submit the project to you at some point. What is that process? Is that an OPM task?
Meghan Costa 8:55
Ultimately, the awarding authority is responsible for communicating the goals and to contact the SDO, myself, Meghan Costa, to request a meeting. And we will set those goals with DCAMM and provide them. Usually we speak with the OPM. The OPM is the person that reaches out to us, and we work with them to create the goals.
Lauren Stara 9:20
But it's our responsibility as the awarding authority to notify you that a project is happening.
Meghan Costa 9:27
We are working on the process right now. Our pilot program, I like to call it, is with the MSBA the Mass School Building Authority. And they have just included language in their award letters that they must contact me at the SDO to discuss the goal setting process. Okay, and now we are working with the MSBA. They will copy us on the award letters, and now I have started to receive emails and phone calls from OPMs to set design and/or construction goals, project specific goals for their projects.
Andrea Bunker 10:04
At the MBLC, what we had talked about when we had our meeting was including that one page information sheet with our contract, because we have provisional awards, but that doesn't mean the municipality is going to accept it. So once they accept it, that would be in the packet that they're getting. So then they would know that they have to contact you. And we also talked about letting you know which libraries are moving forward, when we have those votes.
Meghan Costa 10:31
We are perfecting the process. Now that John and I have the guidelines ready for public distribution, public use, it will make a big change now that I have a document available- bidding instructions, contract templates, etc. Now I can really move forward with our MCAMP program and expand to work with the Mass Board of Library Commissioners.
Andrea Bunker 10:56
And I think so helpful for the OPMs, too, to know exactly what they need to follow in order to make sure that they are in alignment with your program, in alignment with our program and meeting goals that are really for the greater good, moving us forward as a Commonwealth.
Meghan Costa 11:13
Yes, absolutely.
Andrea Bunker 11:15
So companies or firms that are trying to participate on a project with MCAMP requirements, do you have any advice for them in terms of their participation on these projects or responding to projects that have these requirements?
Meghan Costa 11:30
Sure, since it is a requirement for prime vendor to utilize a firm to meet MBE and WBE goals, minority and women owned businesses interested in public vertical construction projects through MCAMP should get certified with the Supplier Diversity Office. The SDO certification program is completely free and can be completed entirely online. I would encourage any business owner who may be eligible for certification to go on our website - mass.gov/sdo - and take our Free Self Assessment- https://www.mass.gov/forms/take-the-certification-self-assessment. Certification is great not only just for MCAMP projects. Certified firms will also show up in our directory of certified businesses, which is searchable by all public purchasers and prime contractors. I would also advise minority and women owned businesses to regularly monitor awarding authority websites and state funded websites like the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, or the Mass School Building Authority, and websites for local towns and cities where they do business. Additionally, the Central Register, published by the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, also contains construction project information of general interest to interested bidders. Some projects, not all projects, are also posted in COMMBUYS. So I also recommend firms register there. It's an e-procurement platform managed by the Operational Services Division (OSD). Additional information can be found on OSD's website, which is www.mass.gov/OSD, or you can go directly to registering at www.commbuys.com, and that program is free as well.
Andrea Bunker 13:25
It sounds like these certifications, too, are a way to move beyond just having these goals in the municipal or state sphere. It seems like having access to these lists could help on private construction, too, in some ways so that we're moving forward in terms of all construction. So it sounds like anyone can access that list, I guess is what I'm saying.
Meghan Costa 13:51
Yes, absolutely. Everyone can search the SDO's directory of certified businesses.
Andrea Bunker 13:57
Perfect. So in order to ensure that our municipalities are meeting these goals, what reporting and compliance obligations does the MCAMP include?
Meghan Costa 14:11
With the SDO's new supplier diversity hub, which is also known as the Hub, we now report and gather award information for projects. The hub gives us the ability to identify the MBEs and WBEs that will participate in upcoming projects and the awarded contract amount. But the hub will also allow us to report the actual spend with the MBEs and the WBEs rather than just the contract award amount. So we will actually have verified spend amount with the MBEs and WBEs.
Andrea Bunker 14:51
and does that help you track to see if goals are met on projects that have a certain threshold of funding, how well projects are meeting it, like if the smaller projects are not as likely to?
Meghan Costa 15:07
Yes, we have been able to see the contract award amount and how the projects have been meeting the goals or where they have not been meeting the goals. And we've been able to do this on our annual report yearly and their reporting quarterly. Now, we will be able to access these reports quarterly, and we will be able to see the actual spend, and the actual amount of money that is being spent with the MBEs and WBEs not just what is awarded to them, We will actually see what is spent at the end.
Andrea Bunker 15:47
Fantastic. And this is a curiosity question. So if you don't have the answer, totally fine. But I'm wondering if that information will then inform, say, like the Department of Labor, where they need to direct resources in terms of certain sub contracting fields or contracting fields to make sure that they're supporting these workforce goals for MBEs and WBEs.
Meghan Costa 16:16
While I cannot specifically speak on Division of Labor Standards, and any specific statutes or directives they are issuing, I know that there is public interest and pressure on the trades specifically to include more women and more diversity overall, including minorities. And that is based on disparity in the general population, that the workforce should reflect the local population. So there is a push, and I know that pre-apprenticeship programs, apprenticeship programs, local unions for the trades, are all encouraging and advocating and pushing for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce. So I know that it is starting at the bottom and working its way up. A lot of our general contractors, OPMs that we work with - these are private firms - that are putting in place mentoring programs, and also to support and push for minority and women owned businesses. It's happening in the private world as well. It's not only a public agency interest, it's a general public interest.
Andrea Bunker 17:32
That's great, because sometimes there's this thought that "well, we can only award to those who apply", right? So for not having firms that are certified apply, then how do we meet these goals. So it really is trying to support these businesses. And by you tracking this data, that's a really important piece.
Meghan Costa 17:54
We're also working with local communities. We work with all these local firms, and we tried to support. We also have a lot of resources available for our small and diverse businesses on our website. We have a small business tools and resource page, which is good for everyone - https://www.mass.gov/resource/resources-for-diverse-and-small-businesses -, and they can attend free webinars and free trainings with a lot of community organizations that we have.
Andrea Bunker 18:20
And we'll link to that in our description. This is a great segue. So what resources are available for owner's project managers or awarding authorities regarding incorporating MCAMP into a project.
Meghan Costa 18:33
So I am a resource available to everyone. The SDO is happy to be a resource. We want to hear about state assisted municipal construction projects that cost more than $150,000 as soon as possible, so we can coordinate with the OPM in the awarding authorities. We can help them establish the MBE and WBE goals for their projects. And we will assist them in understanding and submitting their quarterly reports to our office. We can also assist them with finding MBEs WBE partners to help them succeed in meeting their goals. We can also provide outreach and engagement and communicate any opportunities to our diverse businesses. We're really just here to help and want to be involved, whatever that means. So it's really project specific, just like the goals.
Lauren Stara 19:29
So Megan, you mentioned quarterly reports. So this is a report that they submit throughout the construction process quarterly, and is this something that the OPM does or the municipality does, or?
Meghan Costa 19:45
Well, that would also be project specific. It depends on the agreement between the awarding authority, whether that be the municipality or,
Lauren Stara 19:54
just to clarify in our projects, it's always the municipality, who's the awarding authority.
Meghan Costa 20:00
Yes, so the awarding authority may pass that requirement onto the OPM, which we've seen most times. So the OPM ultimately does the reporting quarterly. It is a requirement, but usually that's done by the OPM because the municipality isn't that involved, hence the reason of hiring the OPM. So yeah, have them do the reporting as well,
Andrea Bunker 20:22
Which is similar for us. Our OPM is do a lot of the financial reporting and will also provide a lot of the narrative about what's happening in the project, where our library directors will talk about their involvement and other things that fall under their purview during the construction project. So it's similar.
Meghan Costa 20:39
It wouldn't be up to date morning authority, it's really how they operate. And then it would be up to those contracts and how they want to report who does what, so it'll all be about delegating the power.
Andrea Bunker 20:51
But it does start at the point of going out to bid, right? So those quarterly reports would begin once they bid and award a general contractor and subcontractors the construction project.
Meghan Costa 21:04
Once there are contracts there to report, that's when we'll start reporting, that's when it's required. Once there's something there to report, that's when you should report it.
Andrea Bunker 21:14
Perfect. So our projects, even though were having you notify Megan and the SDO about your upcoming project, oftentimes there is a year between when you sign your contract with us, and when you actually go out to bid. So there's a period of time there, which gives plenty of room for making sure that those goals are formed and can be complied with.
Meghan Costa 21:41
There's also a lot of opportunity to plan ahead, to do any sort of outreach or engagement. That is where I'm your biggest resource for you. You'll just call me and say, "I'm looking for participation in this part of the state, what can we do?", and we can come up with some outreach. We can do virtual. It may be something in the community. It may just be some emails to make people aware. It's endless. And it's project specific. It depends on what you need, and we can tailor it and really help you achieve the goals.
Andrea Bunker 22:15
So we know that our OPMs should be contacting you Meghan. Is there anyone else that should be contacted, if there are any questions?
Meghan Costa 22:25
I will be your main point of contact. If you need assistance with anything construction related, you can email me or call me directly.
Andrea Bunker 22:35
Is there anything else that you think our listeners should know about your program?
Meghan Costa 22:40
The main thing I want people to know is that we're here as a resource. We are the newest agency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And we're here for awareness to make sure that minority business enterprises and women business enterprises are receiving a fair share of statewide contracting.
Andrea Bunker 23:00
I think it's important work that you're doing, so that we walk the walk, and don't just talk the talk, which I think is often a misperception of government. But we're so happy to have you as a resource for our project. So thank you so much. This has been super informative. Lauren, I don't know if you have any other questions?
Lauren Stara 23:21
No, I have a comment. And it kind of dovetails on what Andrea said. It's really nice to speak to somebody else in the state process. You know, Andrea's, and my job is to help our grantees. And it sounds like your job is to help the awarding authorities meet the goals. And it's just so nice and refreshing to hear from somebody who it's their mandate to do this work. And it's not like an extra thing off the side of your desk. This is what you do.
Meghan Costa 23:54
I appreciate it. I agree with you completely. It is my main focus, my only focus. And that's what makes it so much fun. It's not an added stipulation fine print at the end of the contract- "by the way, make sure you do this." This is what I get to focus on all day, every day, which personally I'm just excited about because I am a female. And I've worked in the construction industry for my whole career. So I have a personal interest. I'm honestly excited to say I really love what I do now.
Andrea Bunker 24:30
Thank you so much for sharing all of this information with our listeners. Because as the newest agency, I'm sure that there are a lot of questions that are out there in terms of what the participation is in this program and how they have to comply. So having you as a resource and being open to them contacting you and trying to figure out what's best for their project is so important. Thank you.
Meghan Costa 24:55
Thank you for having me, and thank you for the opportunity. I'm really excited. I get to work with everyone within the Commonwealth and be here as a resource.
Andrea Bunker 25:05
Thank you. And thank you to all of our listeners for tuning into this episode. Please look for more episodes in the future about public library construction on Building Literacy. And also don't forget to let us know if there are any topics that you're interested in that we have not yet covered. Again, my email address is andrea.bunker@mass.gov. Thank you, again. Have a great day. And until, next time!
Resources:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/supplier-diversity-office-sdo SDO Homepage
https://www.mass.gov/forms/take-the-certification-self-assessment SDO certification self-assessment
https://www.mass.gov/resource/resources-for-diverse-and-small-businesses Resources for Diverse and Small businesses
Transcribed by https://otter.ai