The Equitable Procurement Plan (EPP) is a collection of measures and procedural changes designed to address the barriers that keep minority- and women-owned business enterprises from participating in BPDA contracting opportunities. Whereas past practices have favored incumbents and enforced historical barriers, the EPP initiatives represent the BPDA’s strategic efforts to utilize modern, competitive procurement practices that ensure the full participation of all business enterprises, particularly M/WBEs.

In July 2020, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) retained BBC Research & Consulting (BBC) to conduct a disparity study to assess whether there were any existing barriers that made it harder for M/WBEs to compete for BPDA contracts and procurements. These initiatives are the agency’s response to those findings.

Equitable Procurement Plan Initiatives

  1. PROCESS AND DESIGN: Update procurement process and design to increase the number of opportunities for MWBEs to participate in our process
  2. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Meaningfully expand our community outreach efforts, enhance communication about upcoming procurements, and offer technical assistance
  3. DATA COLLECTION: Improve current procurement systems to better capture and analyze data related to equitable procurement goals
  4. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY: Expand the monitoring and reporting of the BPDA contract portfolio and imbed responsibilities into the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) role for long-term sustainability
  5. RESOURCE ALLOCATION: Increase training and staffing to better equip the BPDA to successfully act on aforementioned initiatives

As the planning and development agency for the City of Boston, we know we have a significant impact on shaping the city, and we believe these initiatives will allow the city to grow by building and investing in a more diverse workforce.

BPDA Buying Plan

The BPDA Buying Plan forecasts procurements for the next three years. Please contact the BPDA CPO at [email protected] for further information.

Resources

Getting Your Business Certified

M/WBEs and veteran-owned businesses are encouraged to certify their businesses with either the City of Boston or the State of Massachusetts.

Certification doesn’t guarantee a contract with the City or State, but getting certified makes it easier for businesses to be informed of upcoming contracting opportunities.

Unlocking Business Opportunities with the BPDA

These presentations provide examples of the types of contracting opportunities that are available with the BPDA.

May 19, 2022

Hosted by the BPDA and the Boston Local Development Corporation (BLDC)

Presentation


February 11, 2022

Hosted by the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA), the BPDA, and the BLDC

Presentation | View recording on YouTube

Unlocking Business Opportunities with the BPDA recording on YouTube

Partnerships

The BPDA has established partnerships with an array of organizations which reflects the diversity of the region. This includes the following organizations;

Additional partnerships are being negotiated with other organizations.