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May 2024 | 31st Edition
ODOT’s Office of Equity and 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, OECR’s Equity Line is a newsletter you will want to read.
Oregon Transportation Commission Adopts New Strategic Action Plan
By Leah Horner, Asst. Director of Operations and Interim Asst. Director, Office of Equity and Civil Rights
On March 15, 2024, the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) approved the 2024-2028 Strategic Action Plan. This plan establishes the short-term priorities of the agency, implementing ODOT’s Oregon Transportation Plan and legislative and governor directives. Major updates include:
- Increasing SAP timelines to 5-years to align with scale of work
- Sufficient and Reliable Funding focus
- Adding a safety lens to equity and climate lenses
Equity continues to be an important component of the SAP with ODOT “moving to integrate and prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion by identifying and addressing systemic barriers to ensure all Oregonians benefit from transportation services and investments. This plan will take action by:
- Utilizing census data to support workforce recruitment aligning workforce with communities that ODOT serves.
- Expanding programs to engage historically underutilized businesses to increase participation in ODOT contracting opportunities.
- Implementing the Equity Engagement Toolkit on ODOT projects and programs to ensure Oregonians are involved in agency decisions on infrastructure development.
- Enhancing workforce diversity by removing barriers to employment for underrepresented populations, increasing employee engagement, belonging efforts, and employee retention.
- Securing statewide Community Engagement Contracts (CECs) to build capacity with Community Based Organizations
- Applying an equity lens to ODOT investment decisions, increasing equitable outcomes.
- Establishing review and updating policies that impact communities ODOT serves and those doing business with ODOT.
While the adoption of the SAP is a milestone for the agency, there continues to be opportunities within the Office of Equity and Civil Rights to support initiatives with agency priorities. The plan and actions are focused on the now with a lens for the next five years and we continue to work to ensure that both our equity and Civil Rights work have platforms for alignment.
 Oregon's premiere event is back for the first time since 2019! The Governor's Marketplace brings information about public contracting opportunities and business resources to Oregonians across the state.
This one day, free event will be held in Salem on June 5, 2024, from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Pre-registration is highly recommended as session space is limited. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost.
Tradeshow exhibitors include state agencies, local governments, and resource organizations that provide business counseling, technical support, and community engagement to Oregon Businesses.
Presentations from:
- Oregon Buys and Certification Office for Business, Inclusion and Diversity (COBID)
- State Contracting Panel: DAS, DHS/OHA, ODOT, ODFW, Oregon Youth Authority
- Small Business Administration, Oregon Dept of Emergency Management,
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
- APEX: Responding to Government Solicitations
- Must-know Resources: BizOregon, DHS/OHA, Preferred Worker Program, Dept. of Revenue, Secretary of State
- BOLI: What Contractors Need to Know
- Local Government Contracting: City of Salem, Marion County, OSU, U of O, METRO
 ODOT’s Small Business Development Program:
Expanding Opportunity for Small Businesses in Construction
Development of a new and innovative small business program is currently underway at ODOT! Established this year in response to ORS 184.906, the Small Business Development Program (SBDP) creates a race- and gender-neutral program that will provide up to $25 million annually in construction projects that are suitable for eligible small firms.
The SBDP will identify transportation construction projects for small businesses to undertake as primes and to provide support and resources for successful delivery. ODOT is focused on building a more inclusive construction industry, and through this program, can increase the ability, capacity, experience, and number of construction contractors doing business directly with ODOT. If you have questions, please contact Program Manager Ailsa Kellam at (503) 949-7744 or email Ailsa.KELLAM@odot.oregon.gov.
Ailsa Kellam
Program Manager
With over 20 years of business experience, Ailsa has a track record of innovative program development and change leadership. She is a senior certified HR professional with over 15 years of experience in marketing, training, and small business development, including working with the Small Business Administration as a business strategy coach.
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Meet ODOT's Small Business Navigators
 OECR’s Small Business Navigators will be available at upcoming outreach events to inform our community of small businesses about ODOT’s contracting opportunities and resources. Upcoming events include:
Do you have an event that you would like ODOT to attend, present at, or sponsor? Please contact Omar Alvarado for more information on the process via email or phone at 503-385-6694.
Looking for the right contact at ODOT?
ODOT’s Equity and Civil Rights staff is here to assist,
with more information on:
General Information, Program Support, OECR Field Coordinators,
Small Business Engagement, Labor Equity and Contracting, Nondiscrimination, Equity, Technical, Leadership and Additional Resources.
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 ACEC - American Council of Engineering Companies
and the ACEC-ODOT Conference
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon is a non-profit business association [501(c)(6)] with a primary goal to protect the public welfare and advance the professional quality of consulting engineers and land surveyors in private practice. Founded in 1956, the association now represent 3,700 employees in Oregon and southwest Washington through approximately 120 consulting, engineering, and surveying firms of all sizes.
The ACEC-ODOT partnership was established in 2005 to address:
- The mutual understanding of the working relationship between the two organizations
- Partner communications and collaboration protocols
- Issue identification, tracking, and resolution
Don’t miss the 2024 ACEC-ODOT Partnering Conference: May 21, 2024, 8am-4pm.
See the schedule and committee contacts, and the conference agenda.
ACEC-ODOT Conference
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Salem
Governor's Marketplace
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Salem
Lane County Business Xcelerator Workshop
Thursday, June 27, 2024, Lane County
Projects Open for Bids
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