Professional Services Agreement - Colette Holt and Associates - MBE WBE Purchasing Disparity Study

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• All race and sex groups combined by detailed industry, including construction, construction -related and professional services. a All detailed industry groups combined by detailed race and sex. a Detailed race and sex by detailed industry groups. Task: Perform Economy -Wide Disparity Analyses CHA will use approved statistical techniques to examine two large Census Bureau databases that provide information on the rates at which minorities and women form business and their earnings from such businesses compared to comparable non-M/WBEs and the receipts of comparable MiWBEs and non-M/WBEs, throughout the City of South Bend greater economy. To evaluate possible barriers to the formation of M/WBEs, we will use linear and limited dependent variable regression techniques, including logit and probit analyses, to analyze recent federal census data for the City of South Bend's metropolitan area at the greatest level of detail permitted by the data sets. We will use data from the Public Used Microdata Sample (PUMS) of the American Community Survey ("ACS") to determine if minorities or women form businesses at lower rates than comparable non -minority men, and whether minorities or women who do form businesses earn less from their entrepreneurial activities than comparable non -minority men. We will prepare the ACS datasets for analysis, utilize statistical software to produce descriptive statistics and carry out relevant regression analyses of business formation and business owner earnings, with associated statistical tests. We will test alternate regression specifications, conduct post -estimation testing, and analyze results. To evaluate possible barriers to the fair competition of M/WBEs, CHA will examine the most recent Census Bureau's Survey of Business Owners and Self -Employed Persons (SBO), which collects and disseminates data on the number, sales, employment, and payrolls of businesses owned by women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups. We will prepare the SBO dataset for analysis and utilize statistical software to produce descriptive statistics and carry out relevant disparity comparisons, with associated statistical tests. Using this data source, we will determine the percentage of sales or receipts attributable to minority -owned or woman -owned firms (utilization), compare to corresponding percentage of minority -owned or woman -owned businesses in any given geographic or industry category (availability). CHA will apply the accepted principles of disparate impact and disparate treatment analysis. Employ "four fifths" rule of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to determine whether disparities on the basis of race are sufficiently large so as to support an inference that discrimination is the cause of those disparities. We will test disparate impact and disparate treatment comparisons for statistical significance for those cases where data have not been suppressed and where standard errors have been published. Task: Collect Qualitative Evidence of Discrimination CHA will collect qualitative evidence of discrimination through a public meeting and business owner interviews. We will perform broad outreach to invite firms, industry groups, community organizations and other interested stakeholders to the public meetings and interview sessions. We will conduct outreach through trade associations, industry groups, stakeholder groups, media and the study website to ensure wide community awareness and participation.