City of Portland’s Procurement Division Receives Robert Phillips Diversity Award

Tomorrow, October 13^th 2015, the City of Portland’s Procurement Services Division will receive the 2015 Robert Phillips Regional Diversity Award at the NorthWest Public Employees Diversity Conference. This award is named in recognition of Robert Phillips, Multnomah County Affirmative Action Officer, who has worked in the area of equal employment opportunity for over 25 years and has a long history of involvement in the civil rights field. The award honors employees, work groups, teams or departments that demonstrate a respect for, and commitment to, diversity that goes beyond their day-to-day job performance.

The Procurement Services Division, in the Bureau of Revenue and Financial Services, includes 37 uniquely diverse individuals, each working independently and as a unit to champion diversity and equity in the City’s purchasing and contracting processes. While some of the work is done individually or as a small group, most of the work can only be done by the Division as a whole. 

Some of the new or improved programs include:

- Professional, Technical, and Expert services for minority- and women-owned businesses and emerging small business initiatives, including direct contacting
- Minority Evaluator Program (MEP)
- Updates to the Prequalification Program
- Prime Contractor Development Program
- Workforce Training and Hiring 

Ken Rust, City of Portland’s Chief Financial Officer, states, “The work of the Procurement Services Division is undertaken on behalf of and in partnership with our City bureau customers. We want to thank City bureaus and the City Council for their support, which plays a crucial role in our success.”