Disparity Studies
For over three decades, Mason Tillman has been conducting procurement and disparity studies to assess the contracting and purchasing practices of local and national organizations. The findings provide the sound basis of evidence of past discrimination that the U.S. Supreme Court requires to validate Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) programs throughout the United States. Mason Tillman has performed over one hundred disparity studies since 1990, when our first study was commissioned by Maricopa County, Arizona.
Mason Tillman performs a full spectrum of services depending on the needs of each client. We evaluate and make recommendations on contract award, management, and purchasing programs. Our studies include historical documentation, surveys, interviews, public outreach, and statistical analysis. Based on our findings, Mason Tillman can :
- Identify barries to dentify barries to equal opportunity
- Develop strategies to correct discrimination
- Provide cost-effective program recommendations
There are only seven consultants in the nation that conduct disparity studies. All of our competitors have had one or more of their disparity studies challenged and found unconstitutional by a federal court. None of our studies, or the minority and women-owned business enterprise programs based on them, has ever been legally challenged.
Methodology
We start our disparity studies by determining the availability of M/WBEs and non-M/WBEs in the study’s geographic market area and assessing the use of the available M/WBEs in the contracts awarded during the study period. In some cases, we have collected and analyzed data for over 500,000 contracts.
We then prepare statistical reports documenting the distribution of contracts by ethnicity, gender, industry, and amount awarded. Anecdotal accounts from business owners who have encountered specific barriers to business opportunities supplement our statistical reports.
If there is underuse of available M/WBEs, we will assess if that underuse is due to discrimination. If there is a finding of discrimination, the law allows for the implementation of a remedy program to address that discrimination.
From the study findings, Mason Tillman develops effective and innovative solutions for its clients. These solutions often include the development of customized M/WBE programs , gender and race-neutral programs, as well as contract-tracking database management systems. Mason Tillman's program development process involves building community consensus through a series of constituent meetings and management working groups. This collaborative process ensures that organizations and key managers have a role in defining the scope and direction of the policies and programs, guaranteeing maximum efficiency and minimizing internal resistance to change.
Select Projects
Disparity and M/WBE Program Services, City of Richmond, CA
Mason Tillman's Disparity Study for the City of Richmond included an assessment of the city's purchasing history. A statistical report was prepared on discrimination, illustrated by anecdotal accounts of specific patterns and practices of discrimination within the market area. Mason Tillman developed program recommendations and designed a M/WBE program, based on the study findings. The recommendation process included obtaining community consensus through a series of public meetings and working groups, and drafting a city ordinance to ensure full and equitable public contracting opportunities for all firms.
Employment Study, Portland, Oregon Consortium
Mason Tillman looked at women and people of color in construction programs, an area where women have traditionally been barred and minorities under-utilized. This study of actual workplace conditions in urban and remote construction sites was conducted for a consortium of ten public agencies in Portland, Oregon. More than 150 interviews were conducted with construction apprentices and employees, employers, and affirmative action program administrators. We identified institutional and attitudinal barries to women's efforts to be included in this traditionally male industry and made recommendations to mitigate their impact.
