Breaking Barriers: Ensuring Fairness in Infrastructure Projects

Guest: Tasha Higgins, MBA, PE, PMP, is Director of the Program Management Division in the Port of Long Beach Engineering Services Bureau

"The Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action make EIP’s mission and coalition more critical than ever."

In this episode, we will discuss The Equity In Infrastructure in anticipation of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and to advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative and his executive order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, pledging to increase by 2026 the share of federal contracts that go to small and disadvantaged businesses.

https://equityininfrastructure.org/ EIP Fact Sheet: https://equityininfrastructure.org/fact-sheet

The Equity in Infrastructure Pledge Starting from the baseline of their current actions and initiatives, by December 2025, Pledge signers will work to increase the number, size and percentage of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) growing to prime contractors, participating in joint ventures or as equity participants.

They will work toward this effort by: Increasing the number, size and proportion of contracting opportunities going to HUBs; Increasing the number, size and proportion of contracting opportunities going to HUBs as prime contractors; Streamlining the administration of contracting with HUBs to centralize certification, improve payment time, and standardize transparent data collection; Increasing the amount and type of appropriate financing available to HUBs aiming to meet infrastructure contracts by working with private and public partners; and Expanding the number of signatories to this Pledge.

To get involved or for more information, please contact info@equityininfrastructure.org. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A weekly online video radio show that brings businesses, entrepreneurship, supplier diversity, information, and opportunities through collaboration with contract providers and lenders. The BusinessZone, we educate, encourage, inform, and inspire the business owners and entrepreneurs in our global communities.

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