SR 520 Quarterly Progress Report: Jan. - March 2019 SR 520 Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) and you Are you a contractor looking to hire minority, women, or veteran subcontractors or skilled construction workers? Community Workforce Agreements, or CWAs, support your efforts as a “WSDOT strongly supports development of a diverse workforce and has woven this commitment into the SR 520 CWA via a preferred entry program for apprentices,” said SR 520 Program Administrator Denise Cieri. Contractors and their subs who work on the SR 520 Montlake Project are required to track and report their progress. “WSDOT is requiring 20 percent of the total Montlake Project contract labor hours to be performed by apprentices. Within that, we’ve set a goal of at least 21 percent of apprentices representing the minority community and 12 percent representing women. This preferred entry program is expected to help develop a said. “We are working with various community organizations to share information and ensure that their members know how to engage in the SR 520 Program,” said WSDOT’s Director of Policy and Strategy Development, Ron Judd. The Roadshow: Reaching community groups to share more We aim to share helpful information about WSDOT’s Puget Sound Megaprograms and the SR 520 Montlake Project CWA with our community partners. To that end, this spring, we’ve been meeting with several community and contracting organizations to share updates and provide answers to questions from their membership. Our Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Regina Glenn, facilitated this outreach, which was led by Dave Becher, WSDOT’s SR 520 Program Director of Construction. Dave outlined the roles everyone will play in the implementation of the SR 520 CWA. Along with our CWA administrator Madison Owens, Lisa Bogardus from the Seattle Building Trades, and Mike Salmon and Suzanne Arkle from Graham Contracting Ltd., we’ve kicked off this series of meetings in the Greater Seattle area. Read on for more details inside about our “Roadshow” outreach. Denise Cieri, SR 520 Program Administrator and Ron Judd, WSDOT Director of Policy and Strategy Development Building Trades, Mike Salmon and Suzanne Arkle, Graham SR 520 Contact: Regina Glenn, SR 520 Diversity and Inclusion Manager Phone: 206-770-3520 - Email: [email protected]
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SR 520 Quarterly Progress Report: Jan. - March 2019
SR 520 Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) and youAre you a contractor looking to hire minority, women, or veteran subcontractors or skilled construction workers? Community Workforce Agreements, or CWAs, support your efforts as a
“WSDOT strongly supports development of a diverse workforce and has woven this commitment into the SR 520 CWA via a preferred entry program for apprentices,” said SR 520 Program Administrator Denise Cieri. Contractors and their subs who work on theSR 520 Montlake Project are required to track and report their progress. “WSDOT is requiring 20 percent of the total Montlake Project contract labor hours to be performed by apprentices. Within that, we’ve set a goal of at least 21 percent of apprentices representing the minority community and 12 percent representing women. This preferred entry program is expected to help develop a
said.
“We are working with various community organizations to share information and ensure that their members know how to engage in the SR 520 Program,” said WSDOT’s Director of Policy and Strategy Development, Ron Judd.
The Roadshow: Reaching community groups to share moreWe aim to share helpful information about WSDOT’s Puget Sound Megaprograms and the SR 520 Montlake Project CWA with our community partners. To that end, this spring, we’ve been meeting with several community and contracting organizations to share updates and provide answers to questions from their membership. Our Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Regina Glenn, facilitated this outreach, which was led by Dave Becher, WSDOT’s SR 520 Program Director of Construction. Dave outlined the roles everyone will play in the implementation of the SR 520 CWA.
Along with our CWA administrator Madison Owens, Lisa Bogardus from the Seattle Building Trades, and Mike Salmon and Suzanne Arkle from Graham Contracting Ltd., we’ve kicked off this series of meetings in the Greater Seattle area.
Read on for more details inside about our “Roadshow” outreach.
Denise Cieri, SR 520 Program Administrator and Ron Judd, WSDOT Director of Policy and Strategy Development
Building Trades, Mike Salmon and Suzanne Arkle, Graham
SR 520 Contact: Regina Glenn, SR 520 Diversity and Inclusion Manager Phone: 206-770-3520 - Email: [email protected]
SR 520 Quarterly Progress Report January-March 2019
Conference of Minority
The Conference of Minority Transportation
a forum for minority professionals and to ensure opportunities and maximum participation in the transportation industry.
Tabor 100Tabor 100 is an association of entrepreneurs and business advocates who are committed to economic power, educational excellence and social equity for African-Americans and the community at-large.
The CWA Roadshow events
COMTO board members listen to WSDOT
The WSDOT team presented to Tabor 100 Tabor 100 Chapter president Ollie
As noted on the cover page, the “Roadshow” team has presented information about the SR 520 Montlake Project Community Workforce Agreement to several local organizations which promote minority, small, women and veteran-owned businesses and diversity in the workforce.
NAMC, the National Association of Minority Contractors, works to provide access (contracting and resource opportunities), advocacy (legislative impact), and contractor readiness (training, capacity building, and growth) for its members. We are attending their April 2019 meeting.
Coming up in Quarter 2, 2019
WSDOT is hosting an informational meeting on April 25 to share updates on WSDOT’s Puget Sound Megaprograms and the SR 520 CWA.
Women in Construction is an international association dedicated to the advancement of women in the construction industry. We plan to visit Women in Construction at their May 2019 meeting.
SR 520 Quarterly Progress Report January-March 2019
CWA Administrator: Intelligent Partnerships, Inc.
Spotlight on Graham’s New Partner: Stepherson & Associates
Josh Stepherson Stepherson & Associates
Small and minority businesses working as subcontractors on the SR 520 Montlake Project have a helpful resource, someone to help them navigate the CWA’s provisions. This resource is a company called Intelligent Partnerships. WSDOT hired Intelligent Partnerships (I.P.) as the CWA Administrator for the Montlake Project CWA, to work alongside Graham, the project’s design-build contractor, as the project is implemented.
“We help manage the process and make sure everything runs smoothly, and track progress to ensure that goals are met,” said I.P. President Julie Villao. “I.P. helps ensure that small and minority businesses are treated fairly. We can answer questions about the language in the contracting process. In short, we help businesses navigate the CWA landscape.”
Villao says she and her husband Daniel opened their business in Los Angeles in 2008. They came to Seattle in 2013. The
with pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. “Large businesses need small businesses to meet their goals and small businesses need to participate in the bidding process to get the work. We help bridge that gap.” In other words, I.P. brings large and small contractors, as well as workers, together. Villao and her husband are skilled in mediating to assure there are no work stoppages. “That’s one of our primary goals. I.P.’s work helps ensure that Graham can focus on building the project, while WSDOT serves as the agency owner ultimately delivering the SR 520 Montlake Project. Villao added, “We, at I.P., are fully focused on the CWA.”
Contact Madison Owens at (206) 606-3477. Email: [email protected]. Web: www.ipartnerships.net
Josh Stepherson, owner of Stepherson & Associates Communications (S&A), has been reach and engagement
on a WSDOT megaproject for several years. So when Graham contacted him in 2018 about being a part of their design-build team for the SR 520 Montlake Project, he was primed and ready for the opportunity.
“Graham has assembled a top notch team and we are honored to be a part of the four-year design-build effort. We, and our community outreach partner, PRR, will work with WSDOT to conduct comprehensive outreach to neighbors, the traveling public, and broader community with timely information, no surprises, and a minimum of construction impacts.”
(MBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), has been in business for 12 years. What started in 2007 with Josh and one other person has grown into a thriving
Josh says it’s been a long journey, requiring hard work and perseverance. He feels fortunate to be part of four-year design-build team working on one of WSDOT’s most
and immediately integrated us into the team.” S&A also recently completed the I-405 HOT Lanes design-build project with Graham.
On a personal note, Josh grew up in the Montlake neighborhood and attended Montlake Elementary. He and his family often go for walks in Interlaken Park and the Arboretum.
Josh says his company is working with WSDOT to host a series of public events and meetings (online and in-person) this spring to introduce the Graham team and to explain the upcoming project design and construction.
It is the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) policy to assure that no person shall, on the grounds
or be otherwise discriminated against under any of its federally funded programs and activities. Any person who believes his/her Title VI protection
procedures and/or information regarding our non-discrimination obligations, please contact OEO’s Title VI Coordinator at (360) 705-7090.
Opportunity at [email protected] or by calling toll free, 855-362-4ADA(4232). Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling the Washington State Relay at 711.
SR 520 Quarterly Progress Report January-March 2019
Shaded projects are physically complete. Data below is provided to WSDOT by the project contractors.
