Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Disparity Study activities are expected to include the steps outlined below. Specific requirements and tasks for each are outlined in each section but are not limited to those activities. The Consultant will be expected to perform all tasks necessary to meet the goals of the study, regardless of whether such tasks are listed below. 4.1 Planning The Consultant will meet with the City Project Team during a series of planning sessions at the start of the study to finalize the details of the Disparity Study design. During these meetings, the Consultant will work with the City Project Team to understand the City's goals for the study and design a rigorous and legally defensible study methodology that will allow the City to achieve those goals. Specific Tasks and Deliverables: The Consultant should propose their approach for planning and designing the study together with the City. Planning activities could include: • Meeting with City staff to understand strategic initiatives and planning efforts underway related to supporting the Wilmington vendor community and how this study will fit in to those efforts • Hold meetings with City Project Team and representatives from other City departments that will be involved with the study, which may include staff from City Manager, Finance, Purchasing, Legal, Economic Development, IT, and Human Resources. • Hold meetings to understand the City's existing data around awards and payment and develop a plan to collect all pertinent electronic and hard copy data appropriate and available to execute necessary analysis for the Disparity Study. • Finalize a legally defensible methodology that is in line with City's current vendor management and contract management system. 4.2 Data Collection and Disparity Analysis The Consultant is responsible for conducting data collection and analysis relevant to the Disparity Study. The Consultant will also be responsible for providing the City with access to all raw data related to the analysis described below throughout and upon completion of the study. TheConsultant will be responsible for the following requirements: • Identify the availability of minority and women-owned businesses that are ready, willing, and able to do business with the City in the relevant market areas, based on both business presence and headquarters. • Analyze the City's contracting and procurement data and conduct utilization analysis of minority, women, and non-minority firms in the procurement of goods, services (general and professional), and construction. • Ascertain whether a statistically significant disparity exists between the availability of ready, willing, and able minority and women-owned businesses and the utilization of such firms in the City's contracts (whether as prime contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers).
