OHCS’ Equity in Contracting system aims to advance access to business opportunities resulting from OHCS-funded developments for businesses owned by racial and ethnic minorities, women, and veterans, as well as emerging small businesses.
OHCS has established targets for working with companies owned by people from these communities. Targets vary across the state, recognizing the different economic conditions, demographics, and availability of relevant firms. The target for Region 1 (the Portland metro area including Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Columbia, and Hood River counties) is 30%. The target for Regions 2 through 5 (rest of the state) is 20%.
To meet these participation targets, OHCS encourages project teams to work with firms certified by Business Oregon’s
Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), including Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), Veteran Business Enterprises (VBEs), and Emerging Small Businesses (ESBs).
In addition, project teams may work with businesses that self-identify as owned by minorities, women, veterans, as well as emerging small businesses if they meet the corresponding COBID eligibility criteria. Project teams must make these business owners aware of COBID certification and encourage them to apply.
Applicants receiving OHCS funding will be required to submit three reports related to the participation of relevant firms in their project: an initial report at the time of financial closing, a second report once construction reaches 50% completion, and a final report within 30 days of construction completion.
Project teams should use the reporting templates in their Procorem WorkCenter for reports. However, an
Equity in Contracting report template is available reference only.
Project teams can check their performance on past projects on the
Equity in Contracting Project Performance tracker. This information comes from the reports project teams submit to OHCS. See instructions for how to use this tracker on the Project Performance Tracker Search Guide.
Compliance manual
Policies and requirements related to equity in contracting for OHCS-funded affordable rental housing are described in the OHCS ARH Equity in Contracting Compliance Manual.
Project sponsors must provide this compliance manual to general contractors.
Contracting equity consultants
OHCS provides up to $60,000 in additional subsidy for contracting equity consultants.
Contracting equity consultants provide services including, but not limited to, supporting outreach to subcontractors, reviewing proposed subcontractors to see if they are COBID-certified or eligible, coordinating or managing relationships with chosen subcontractors, administration and reporting for contracting equity requirements, and other strategies for equitable contracting.
Project teams can work with any contracting equity consultant they choose, as long as the consultant provides these services and their contract reflects this scope of work.
Some examples of contracting equity consultants include:
If you provide these services and would like to add your organization to this list,
fill out this form.
Find partners to work with
To find subcontractors, see the
Equity in Contracting Dashboard
To find general contractors, use the
directory of firms certified by
COBID or visit the
NAMC-Oregon list of members
To find business directories and construction workforce organizations, see the
Equity in Contracting Dashboard
Related state agencies
Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID)
Oregon Construction Contractors Board