Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity meeting, April 9, 2024
- When: Tue, Apr 9, 2024, 11:30 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928505/video/929670467
- Transcript: full text (12,781 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity heard public comment from representatives of women- and minority-owned contractor associations and individual residents, most of whom spoke in support of a resolution backing the U.S. Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, while some speakers said Black-owned businesses receive too small a share of city contracts. The committee approved the monthly Rule 45 reports. It then recommended approval of resolution R2024-0008330, sponsored by Chair Emma Mitts, calling on Congress to protect the DBE program. The committee also heard from the Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Technology and Innovation on an ordinance authorizing master consulting agreements with DataMade LLC, with members asking about the absence of a competitive RFP, the firm's workforce diversity and M/WBE participation goals. The DataMade ordinance was recommended for approval by voice vote.
Topics: MBE/WBE programs, DBE program resolution, Rule 45 reports, DataMade contract, sole-source contracting, contractor diversity, planning and zoning data transparency, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 24:52 Public comment: discussed
- 1:02:45 Approval of monthly Rule 45 reports: passed
- 1:03:22 Resolution expressing support for and calling on U.S. Congress to protect the U.S. Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program (R2024-0008330): passed
- 1:07:30 Ordinance authorizing master consulting agreements with DataMade LLC for research, design, development, hosting and support of public-facing applications on planning, development and zoning processes (O2024-0008352): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Emma Mitts (chair): Introduced the DBE resolution she sponsored, saying the federal program could be in jeopardy and the resolution urges Congress to act to protect it. (1:03:57); Said she welcomed technology that makes city information more transparent and easier to navigate, including timely tracking of minority contracting data. (1:17:12); Asked whether the planned platform would let residents see what zoning and land use is proposed for a site and how far back the data would go. (1:21:24)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Spoke in support of the DBE resolution, describing discrimination in contracting as pervasive and saying that pitting Black, female and Latino M/WBEs against one another benefits only white contractors. (1:05:06); Expressed hope the resolution would be received as a call-in to the U.S. Transportation Secretary to fight to preserve the program. (1:06:42); Said he knows DataMade's team and values its competence in making data accessible, and urged it to consult residents who do not attend community zoning meetings rather than aldermen first. (1:30:15)
- Samantha Nugent (alderperson): Asked whether DataMade is a private company and how the city came to use its platform. (1:18:19); Asked whether an RFP was issued and how a master service agreement differs from a contract awarded through an RFP. (1:18:45); Asked whether the agreement is effectively a sole-source contract. (1:20:12)
- Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Said he appreciated the goals of the technology project but was concerned about how the city would get there. (1:23:24); Confirmed the contract was not put out for RFP and asked what effort went into deciding no other firm was comparable. (1:23:48); Asked whether the 25 percent MBE and 5 percent WBE participation goals were met under the 2022 contract. (1:26:45)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Said it was hard to accept that no other firm or joint venture could do the work and that no one appeared to have vetted that with industry experts. (1:31:45); Cited an O'Hare project where a sole provider later joint-ventured after being challenged to include an African American firm. (1:32:30); Said he would not feel comfortable voting on the item without due diligence, but would trust the chair if she had already consulted others. (1:33:03)
Exchanges between members
- 1:05:06 Vice Chair Daniel La Spata thanked Chair Emma Mitts before speaking on the resolution.
- 1:21:06 Alderperson Samantha Nugent thanked the chair after her questions.
- 1:23:48 Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell said he was adding clarity to Alderperson Samantha Nugent question about the lack of an RFP.
- 1:33:19 Alderperson David H. Moore asked the chair whether she had consulted others about whether other firms could do the work.
- 1:33:57 Chair Emma Mitts responded to Alderperson David H. Moore that she had met at length with the department and the contractor.