The Community Maritime Park Associates’ Equal Business Opportunity Committee will hear a final report tonight concerning the Equal Business Opportunity Program. The program was an effort to realize minority participation in the construction of the new park.
George Hawthorne, who oversaw the program, will present to the committee the CMPA Contractors Academy/Equal Business Opportunity Program Final Report. In the report, he outlines the program’s background and various operational details.
In a section entitled “EBO Program Manager’s EBO Program Statistical Reporting,” Hawthorne states that final numbers are unavailable: “The EBO final statistical reporting for this final report is not available primarily because the EBO Program Manager has not been provided the required reporting information from the Design-Builder in a complete and timely manner. However, EBO Program Manager has concerns (based upon preliminary information received) that the actual MFBE participation may be less or more than what has been previously reported to the CMPA as it is necessary to receive the required information from the design-builder and subcontractors to report the accurate statistics to the CMPA.”
The report continues, listing “final reporting based upon the incomplete information” as follows: Total Contracts: $36,057,929.81; Minority/Female Business Enterprises Executed: $3,658,984.72; MBE % Reported: 10.1 percent.
In the report’s conclusion, Hawthorne sums up: “Although the “aspirational goals of the EBO Program were very aggressive and somewhat unobtainable, it should never be overlooked that the Community Maritime Park provided great opportunities and true achievements in construction procurement for MBEs that have far surpassed the historical achievements of MBE inclusion within Escambia County and Pensacola. However, many small and minority sectors of the contractor community still do not have full access to the advantages and benefits of procurement opportunities. However, the CMPA should be highly commended for its efforts in which it provided the leadership and outstanding efforts to utilize Minority/Female Business Enterprises (MFBEs) in all aspects of contracting relating to construction-related activities in the completion of the Maritime Park.”
Tonight’s meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., on the first floor of Pensacola City Hall.