Maximizing Minority and Women Contracting and Workforce Participation

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March 2019 - Advanced Technology Communications (ATC ) is a full service firm dedicated to bringing communities together and creating connections with those who are traditionally underrepresented or do not typically participate in public processes. Our practice focuses on three areas – certified firm and workforce strategies, public involvement and digital imaging for public agencies, nonprofits and businesses. We are a State of Oregon certified Emerging Small Business (ESB # 10905) and a multicultural, bilingual Spanish speaking firm with extensive experience working with cultural communities across the Northwest as well as the region’s largest public agencies.

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ATC is currently developing a DMWESB and workforce policy for a large public agency; providing management consulting services to a leading nonprofit in the contracting equity world; and others.

 

Our CEO John Jackley serves as Vice Chair of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce; board member of the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce; and board member, former chair and founding member of the Metropolitan Contracting Improvement Partnership (MCIP). He is the recipient of the Liberty and Hope Award of the Oregon League of Minority Voters, the Minority Enterprise Development Agency of the Year Award, the OAME Sustainability and Equity Award, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Latino Public Partnership Bravo! Award, and the Royal Rosarian Newsmaker of the Year Award, among others. His success in creating strategies, policies and procedures that produce national records for MWESB and workforce diversity has been recognized in the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record. He combines this expertise in producing certified firm and diverse workforce outcomes with high-level executive management experience as the former Executive Officer at the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Director of Communications and Social Equity at the Portland Development Commission.

 

Among other accomplishments, ATC’s principals have:

 

• ​Developed and wrote the 2020 racial justice strategy and policy for MWESB/COBID/DBE utilization and workforce for the State of Oregon Housing and Community Services Department; development of communications strategy for rollout and statewide stakeholder process.

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• Directed the Portland Development Commission’s South Waterfront Workforce Diversity Oversight Committee from 20016 to 2016, where more than 21% of those earning their journey cards were people of color and where the total MWESB dollar amount exceeded that of the rest of the agency’s. (PDC is now branded as Prosper Portland.)

 

• At PDC, worked closely with Multnomah County legal counsel on construction and workforce equity components of the new County Health Department building.

 

• Designed equity strategy and policy for the Portland Development Commission that produced some of the highest minority contracting and workforce percentages and total dollars in the nation – over $100 million in contracting and payroll dollars to minority firms and workers in last five years with total MWESB participation averaging 35% per year; over one million payroll hours for minority workers and over 30% utilization of apprentices and journey workers of color. Total MWESB participation averaged 35% per year. Recognized in Congressional record by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer; directed PDC disparity study and worked with extensive network of stakeholders. Coauthored state prevailing wage statute for public-private partnerships. Led internal equity training for all PDC employees.

 

• Created and implemented separate but coordinated culturally competent initiatives at the Portland Development Commission that increased the participation of Latino MBEs (bilingual effort), Native Americans and African Americans (three lowest communities of participation, and aligned with the agency’s communications and outreach strategic plan.

 

• Designed and implemented equity policy and procedures for the Oregon Department of Transportation that understood regional differences and factors around the state and produced more than 20% certified firm utilization on the statewide Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA) bridge program and the agency’s regular construction program.

 

• In 2017 helped launch the center of the Asociación de Jovenes Emprendedores de Panamá in Panama City, working with AMPYME, the Office of the First Lady, Quality Leadership University of Panamá, Becas Fulbright Académicos de Panamáand the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP). Serves on the nonprofit board of directors of AJOEM (Asociación de Jovenes Emprendedores Trabajando por Panamá).