Services

Project: Develop a Supplier Diversity Program

Owner:  National Corporation

Developed a supplier diversity program for a national company with offices in North Carolina, District of Columbia, Florida, California, Milwaukee and Chicago. Lead the company’s management team through a detailed process of developing a supplier diversity program tailored specifically to the company’s culture, procurement and contracting practices. Assisted management with identifying internal stakeholders who would make up the Steering Committee (work group).  The Steering Committee represented approximately 10 divisions or teams within the organization.  An additional twenty (20) internal stakeholders were identified and called on to provide input, direction and feedback on the program development process.  BLWall Consulting lead the team with developing a policy, program objectives, program administration, roles and responsibilities, outreach and training components.

Project: Disparity Study Sub-Consulting

Owner: Guilford County Public Schools (Greensboro, NC)

Sub-Consultant to: MGT of America, Inc. – Tallahassee, FL

Contract Period: August 2014 – March 2017

Developed a comprehensive list of area business firms by contacting stakeholders, such as state and local agencies, trade associations, business associations, and business development organizations.  Provided listing of firms in the prescribed electronic format.

• Conducted a custom census availability survey to determine the pool of available contractors, subcontractors and vendors that can provide services to the District by procurement category and by minority/women business group.

Business Owner Surveys

• Conducted telephone surveys of business owners. Completed 1,000 surveys that were distributed and representative of various sample types of firms. Our due diligence consisted of contacting over 3,500 businesses.
• Generated on-line survey tool to conduct surveys.

• Conducted anecdotal research by coordinating, managing and co-facilitating two (2) focus groups, one (1) public meeting/forum, two (2) public hearings and conducting 50 in-depth, one-on-one business interviews.

Focus Groups/Public Meetings/Public Hearings:

• Contacted potential participants and assigned confirmed firms to applicable focus groups. Co-facilitating discussion for focus group; recorded discussion and provided a summary.
• Promoted public meeting/forum, responsible sign-in, printing of agendas, providing refreshments and co-facilitating discussion.
• Distributed notifications for the public hearing, was responsible sign-in, distribution and collection of testimony forms, printing of agendas, hiring court reporter/stenographer and reviewing transcripts for approval.

Stakeholder & Business Owners Interviews

• Responsible for conducting 50 one-on-one interviews with stakeholder representatives and business owners.
• Contacted and screened potential participants. Scheduled and conducted in-person and phone interviews.  In person interviews were conducted at the business owners’ place of business.
  • Interviewed the president/CEOs of eight (8) local and statewide associations/organizations.
  • Interviewed 42 businesses owners, 36 of which were in-person interviews
  • Due diligence consisted of contacting approximately 200 businesses.

Project: DBE Certification & Support Services

Owner: N.C. Department of Transportation

Prime Consultant to: Office of Civil Rights – Raleigh, NC

Contract Period: October 2015 – April 2017

• Scheduled and Conducted Site Visits at applicant’s place of business or project job site. Interview business owner/applicant per DOT’s approved site visit questionnaire.  Document observations and findings.
• Reviewed application packets and supporting documentation in accordance with US DOT Federal Regulations for the DBE Program. Provide Summary Report of Finding and Recommendation for Approval or Denial of DBE certification.

South Atlantic Region Small Business Transportation Resource Center – (Durham, NC)

U.S. Department of Transportation

Sub-Consultant to: NC Institute for Minority Economic Development (The Institute) – Durham, NC

Contract Period: September – October 2014

Scope:   

• Responsible for researching and identifying key individuals and representatives in Virginia to establish a Stakeholder’s Committee.
• Stakeholder’s Committee involvement was to provide input on Outreach and Training sessions available with U.S. DOT such as its Short Term Lending Program, Bonding Education Program and Women & Girls in Transportation Program.
• Identified and secured commitment of 9 to 12 business resource organization representatives to serve on Stakeholder’s Committee.

Scope:  Development, Implementation & Management of the Statewide Uniform Certification (SWUC) Program

• Successfully advocated for legislation which lead to the development and implementation of Statewide Uniform Certification Program of historically underutilized
• Over a ten (10) year period, several key tasks were held to provide and/or obtain data, research, stakeholder’s buy-in and support for this program
• Established a Statewide Uniform Certification Working Committee which consisted of stakeholders from local, municipal, airport and transportation representatives. To obtain feedback, suggestions, ideas and concerns regarding this program initiative, activities such as focus groups sessions which were held across the state, as well as one day
• On-line and hard copy surveys were specifically tailored and conducted for: Prime Contractors, Public Agency/Local Units of Government, HUB/MWBE firms, and M/WBE Program Administrators. This process included advocating for support from legislators, industry associations, conferring with legal counsel with various municipalities, interacting with the League of Municipalities, School Board Association and the University System (campuses and UNC-General Administration).
• Legislation passed in 2007; SWUC Program went live July
• Current certification process used by the State of North Carolina to certify HUB firms.

Scope:  Process Improvement & Strategic Planning

• Developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for key areas of responsibilities for the HUB
• Developed Strategic Work Plan for the division which was derived by staff members and stakeholders. Established Performance Measures matrix with monthly, quarterly and annual bench marks and goals that were reported to the Secretary’s
• Facilitated major IT equipment upgrades, and systems development and

Scope:  Construction Initiatives

• Successful in obtaining language to promote historically underutilized business in legislation pertaining to public sector contracting, specifically, for Construction Management at Risk (CMaR) projects that were part of the $2.1 billion higher education bond
• Instrumental in developing Good Faith Effort criteria and GFE point system legislation for the utilization of minority and HUB firms on publicly bid capital and CMaR
• Started the Contractors’ Networking Expo which is held in conjunction with the annual State Construction Conference. Started the Good Faith Effort Awards, which are presented during the conference.
• Responsible for successfully advocating for HUB Coordinator positions to be established the state public universities in an effort to promote and increase HUB participation on the University Bond and capital improvement

Scope:  Boards & Committees:

• Established and managed two (2) advisory boards for the Department of Administration: HUB Advisory Board and Minority Business Capital Projects Advisory Board. The first was established by the Governor’s Executive Order and the latter, by general
• Facilitated monthly meetings of both boards which were comprised of approximately 20
• Facilitated quarterly Purchasing Officer’s meetings which consisted of approximately 40
• Provided recommendations to the Secretary of Administration for private and public sector representation on both
• Successfully advocated for $50,000 budget appropriations to manage