Posted on 09/01/2017 3:04:00 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
WOODLAWN — The Obama Foundation is asking the four construction teams vying to build the presidential center to set high standards for local and minority hiring.
The foundation announced four finalists Thursday morning and also the standards for hiring the foundation is setting for each.
Each of the firms has to lay out how it would meet a commitment to awarding half of its subcontracts to “diverse suppliers,” which expands the normal definition of firms from women and minority-owned firms to also include veteran-, disabled- or LGBTQ-owned firms.
As the definition of inclusive hiring is broadened, the foundation is specifying that at least 35 percent of contracts need to go to minority-owned firms.
Each of the firms also has to detail how it plans to recruit and retain employees from Woodlawn, Washington Park, South Shore and the South and West sides more broadly.
“The Obamas chose to develop the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side to give back to the community that has given so much to them. With this [request for proposals], the foundation has established significant and aggressive goals for diversity and inclusion,” said David Simas, CEO of the foundation. “We are committed to creating meaningful opportunities and jobs for local businesses, community members, and underrepresented communities in the South Side and throughout Chicago, and using our platform to pioneer new approaches to engaging minority populations in the construction industry to provide not just short-term jobs, but long-term professional opportunities.”
It’s not clear what would happen if the firm chosen fails to live up to the set standards. Community groups continue to push for a community benefits agreement that would codify the standards and create repercussions if they’re not met.
The firms being considered include:
• Clark/Smoot Presidential Builders, a partnership that includes Clark Construction Group, Smoot Construction Company, GMA Construction Group and Bowa Construction
• Lakeside Alliance, a partnership that includes Turner Construction Company, Power & Sons Construction, UJAMAA Construction Inc., Brown & Momen Inc. and Safeway Construction Company
• Power Mortenson Partners, a partnership that includes Power Construction Company, Mortenson Construction, GMA Construction, Bowa Group
• W.E. O’Neil Construction Company
Diversity is essential for chaos to ensure we can never unite as a people. Burn in hell, lefties...but really, why wait?
Contractors know the drill by now—put on the minority “beard” to get the contract, pay the “beard” a nice wad of cash to pretend they matter, and then carry on as normal.
I think it would be a great idea to see the “Library” designed by black architects, and built by black engineers. No help from whitey.
Not surprised.
Yes; call it a “diversity tax”. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth here in NJ when they couldn’t find enough preferred minorities for heavy construction work on a large project; the contractors assured them there would be lighter work to follow (you know, the lines of blacks and women waving flags when you drive past a construction site - four or five of them doing what one white guy used to do).
Police departments here have gone from overlooking veterans to now casting aside Hispanic men as well; no shortage of qualified Hispanic men working as cops, and now they’re just taking set-aside jobs from blacks and women.
The Husseins always looking to score even more free stuff.
I’ve worked around Powers and Sons. The few times I’ve seen them they’ve been terrible but will more than meet the diversity requirements, if you get my drift.
Don’t a lot of government contractors already have to do this?
“Diversity?”
Does that mean they’ll let the most underrepresented minority in Chicago—Republicans—apply?
This will be interesting. I guess when they are years behind and over budget there will be a fire to clean up the mess.
I guess one of Barry's bathhouse buddies owns a construction company.
I’m trying to figure out how anyone would verify an “LGBTQ-owned” firm. LOL.
Does he mean actual white people added to the crews of mexican construction workers?
Yep. Local contractor has decided it’s more efficient to just pay the minority plumber to sit home and hire a qualified plumber to actually DO the work. Ultimately costs less than delays from having to redo the subpar work
Which means he’ll have a crappy library to reflect his crappy term in office.
We need a huge watchdog group to ensure no ethnic group is overrepresented in any phase of design and construction. What population percentages will he be going by, USA or world population? If he goes by U.S. population he is going to have a big problem since he’s excluding the rest of the world...
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