ODOT’s Office of Civil Rights’ newsletter, Equity Line, brings to you the newest content relevant to your business and business needs. Whether you work in transportation-related fields, construction, or just drive Oregon’s roads and have an interest in what ODOT is doing for the Oregon economy, OCR’s Equity Line is a newsletter you will want to read.
If you want to receive copies of the OCREL at no charge, delivered straight to your inbox, please click the subscribe box below or send an email request to ocrprograms@odot.state.or.us to make sure you are on the list for future issues.
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ODOT’s Emerging Small Business Program project limitations increase to $250,000
ODOT’s Emerging Small Business (ESB) Program helps create contract opportunities for Oregon’s small businesses and helps to remove barriers that may prevent them from contracting with ODOT.
With the recent passage of Oregon HB 3055, the Emerging Small Business (ESB) statutory project limitation was increased from $100,000 to $250,000, providing better project opportunities in the near future. Once finalized, the new implementation plan and adjusted contracting rules for the ESB Program will be adopted. More updates soon!
For more on ODOT’s Emerging Small Business Program click here: Oregon Department of Transportation: Emerging Small Business : Civil Rights : State of Oregon
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New! The Equitable Engagement Compensation Program
ODOT regularly seeks input from community members on a variety of projects, plans, policies, and administrative rules. The unique barriers that certain groups of people face may mean that ODOT is not always hearing from all the people we affect through our work. Compensation will ease the unpaid time barriers for these groups, allowing for more equitable and inclusive access to our engagement activities while improving our service to Oregonians.
The Equitable Engagement Compensation Program (EECP) establishes a policy that allows for compensation to Oregonians who provide public feedback to the agency through initiatives like the DBE Advisory Committee.
Questions? Contact the Office of Social Equity at: socialequity@odot.state.or.us
Welcome Newly COBID Certified Firms!
Firms certified 6/16/2021 – 8/24/2021
This data is provided to ODOT’s Office of Civil Rights by COBID.
Search by business name and/or vendor ID in COBID’s certified vendor directory to obtain additional details and contact information for any of the newly certified firms. The COBID certified vendor directory is available here.
Company: Burch Energy Services LLC
President: David L Burchfield, PE, CEM
Title: President
Phone: 503.459.7755
Website: https://Burchenergy.com
Certifications: DBE/MBE/ESB #12228
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Building a Healthy, Sustainable, and Inclusive
Future with Burch Energy Services
As a young engineer—having only recently graduated from college—David Burchfield saw a tremendous opportunity working next to the CEO at an energy management company.
“I had the ability to do many things, wear many hats,” says David. “And that enticed me.”
It also encouraged him to pursue a master's degree in engineering and technology management. David credits that company’s CEO for helping him “pivot away from being just an engineer to being able to engineer the whole system.”
The CEO was just one of the many people David credits with inspiring and motivating him—starting with his family. “My father was born in Mississippi in a cotton field, and he has always been a tenacious activist for equal rights. My uncle Ed was the first black man I ever met who is absolutely successful. My stepmother raised me well, like her own, and she deserves appreciation. And then my aunt is one of the strongest women I ever met.”
Even David’s study of engineering was heavily influenced by someone else: Tom McCormack, who would later become David’s father-in-law. “He had a PhD in civil engineering, and he encouraged me to become an engineer even when I didn't know what that was.”
In their own ways, each helped prepare David for the next stage of his career—whatever it would be.
Staying Ahead of Opportunity
So he was already way ahead of the game when his then-boss approached him in early 2020 with an idea. “Energy Trust of Oregon came out with an RFP that had a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requirement. So my boss mentioned this would be a great opportunity for us. Little did he know, I had started my own company three years earlier—hoping for an opportunity just like this one. The timing was perfect!”
Like many businesses, Burch Energy Services (BE Services) began with ups and downs. While David had started it as a home energy auditing firm, that didn’t completely mesh with his dream for the company: helping eliminate climate change.
In 2019, though, David added two partners: Kwasi Boateng (a former co-worker he had met while working on his master’s degree), who became the chief operating officer of BE Services, and Dr. Teshome Jiru (David’s undergraduate mentor), who became chief technical officer.
“Together, we believed in the dream.” And the three started to define the company’s future.
BE Services now provides HVAC and BMS design, installation, and demand side management for commercial, industrial, agricultural, and government buildings. “I want to make sure the air quality in those buildings is the best it can be, as well as make sure the energy they use is optimal. We could probably save those buildings 20-30 percent of their energy costs if they had portfolio-level software to control these buildings.”
The company has continued to build on its core values of integrity, authenticity, servant leadership, diversity, and open-mindedness. Now, David says the company is built on three pillars: demand-side management, design-build, and software development.
“One of these days all three of those pillars are going to start intertwining like three strands of a vine, working together.”
The Company’s Widening Impact
David feels BE Services has had an impact, with more than 20 public-school energy audits. “We are decreasing the cost of capital expenditures for the public schools by installing energy-efficient equipment that will also improve the indoor environment.”
The company also recently received a small business technology transfer (STTR) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a software clean air management system (CAMS) that will gather and examine data on “outdoor air contaminants, exterior sources of information, and indoor air contaminants, and use that data to adjust the ventilation rates to mitigate threats to the indoor environment.”
While Burch is not currently working with ODOT on any projects, David says they are looking forward to helping ODOT’s existing fleet of buildings become healthier and more sustainable.
It took David Burchfield a while to realize he was already a bit of a trailblazer. “I am an African-American and I come from slave blood—and there are not many of us in the engineering and energy efficiency world.”
Now, just as he was mentored and encouraged along the way, David is trying to normalize the inclusion of people like him in the industry. “Yeah, I want to sell my software and help these buildings, but I also want to help my people—help other contractors, technical contractors, and construction contractors who have brown skin like me get into the arena.”
By training up more minority businesses to take care of these systems and buildings, David hopes his company can not only help companies improve the efficiency and health quality of the living environment, but “give people an opportunity for a better living and actually come up with ways to feed their families.”
Historic Heritage Month Breakfast | September 16, 2021
» Visit Website for Details
BDI MED Week | September 22-23, 2021
This year’s MED Week Events will be held virtually. Our 2021 theme is “Engage. Elevate. Empower.” and we look forward to coming together as one community to support diverse business across our region. Join us for two days of building relationships, learning and celebration! To learn more, and register, visit BDI's website, www.bdiweb.org
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October 20, 2021
For information regarding the trade show or sponsorship opportunities, contact Bill Prows at OAME 503-249-7744 or bill@oame.org
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Monthly Salem Capitol Connections Event.
Salem Capitol Connections provides Oregon entrepreneurs with opportunities to connect with public and private entities that lead to sustainable business relationships and opportunities.
Wildfire Response and Recovery Information
The 2020 Labor Day weekend wildfires affected so much of our lives including our transportation system. Most people know that roads close due to flames and smoke when fires are in the immediate area, but many people may not know that debris such as downed trees can create hazards long after the fire is out. The State of Oregon is working with federal, state and local partners to safely address ash and debris from the 2020 Oregon wildfires. Removing fire debris is a three-step cleanup process.
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Step 1 - clearing properties of household hazardous waste to minimize exposure of hazardous materials to the public.
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Step 2 – removal of hazard trees.
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Step 3 - removal of ash and debris.
Currently, prime contracts to remove hazard trees, ash, and debris are in place and subcontractor opportunities are available directly with those primes. Please contact Feather Sam Huesties to be added to the interested contractor list, which gets updated to the prime contractors every week. ODOT will also send out direct contact and registration information for subcontracting with the primes to interested local firms.
For more information on ODOT’s wildfire response and recovery efforts, visit our Wildfire web page
COVID-19 Information and Resources
The COVID-19 outbreak has created uncertainty for Oregonians and Oregon businesses. The Office of Civil Rights wants businesses to know that we are here for them in this difficult time and there are resources available to provide assistance to businesses that are impacted by the unprecedented outbreak.
- ODOT contracting bidding and awarding services are still available during this time.
- Existing ODOT A&E and construction contracts are continuing to move forward as scheduled. If issues come up, these will be handled on a case-by-case basis with the project’s contract administrator.
- ODOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) projects will continue in accordance with the respective project’s contract along with the guidance provided by Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20-12.
Business Oregon Financial Programs
Business Oregon is the state's economic development agency and operates several direct loan and loan guarantee programs for small businesses:
Oregon Business Development Fund
The Oregon Business Development Fund (OBDF) is a revolving loan fund that provides term fixed-rate financing for land, buildings, equipment, machinery and permanent working capital. Participants must create or retain jobs and must typically be a traded-sector business in manufacturing, processing or distribution. The program gives preference to projects located in rural and distressed areas and to small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. » More information is available here.
Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund
The Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund (EDLF) provides direct loans to help start-ups, micro-enterprises and small businesses expand or become established in Oregon. This fund fills a niche not provided through traditional lending markets. More information is available here.
For more on Business Oregon’s Financial Assistance programs and other state and federal resources and financial assistance programs that are available, visit their Small Business Navigator here.
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