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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIPC Board Meeting Minutes 8.19.2026Inclusive Procurement and Contracting Board Meeting Minutes Date: August 19, 2026 | Time: 5:30 pm | Location: Microsoft Teams (Virtual) & TRC 1165 Franklin Street, Suite 100, South Bend, IN 46601 Link: https://tinyurl.com/ipcboardmeeting  Call to Order- The IPC Board is now called to order on August 19, 2026, at 5:45 p.m. • BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Murray Miller, Erin Michaels, Michael Morris, Reasha Donaldson, Lidya Abreha, Bianca Jones • BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT VIRTUALLY: • DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Michael Szymanski • PURCHASING: • LEGAL: Jenna Throw, Michael Schmidt (Virtually) • INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY: • BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Wilbur Boggs, Rachel Tomas-Morgan, Breanna Allen  Approval of Minutes: A motion was made and seconded to approve the July 2026 meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried. I. Procurement: Jones reviewed the July 2026 Procurement Report. Jones reported a total eligible spend of $118,101,439 through July 31, 2026. Out of the total spend, $4,713,384 was spent with minority and women-owned businesses, representing 4.0% of the total eligible spend. $787,742 with MBE $971,071 with WBE $107,422 with MBE/WBE $2,847,149 self-reported Certified MBE/WBE spending represented approximately 1.6% of total eligible spending, reflecting a slight increase from the previous month. In Public Works spending, $13,005,869 was spent on projects with participation goals. Of that amount, $1,543,930 was spent with certified MBE/WBE firms, resulting in 11.9% utilization. $594,778 with MBE $848,277 with WBE $100,875 with MBE/WBE Board discussion addressed the timing of subcontractor participation reporting under the revised program process. Staff explained that participation may not immediately appear in monthly reporting due to the timing between contractor payments and B2Gnow reporting. Contractors are being encouraged to identify and enter subcontractors throughout the life of the project rather than waiting until project closeout. Staff will continue reinforcing these requirements during pre-bid and pre-construction meetings. Jones reported that four businesses previously assisted through the City's certification workshops are currently reflected among vendors utilized by the City. Regional spending reflected 59.7% of eligible spending occurring within the local/regional marketplace and 40.31% occurring outside the region. The Board also discussed opportunities to increase MBE/WBE participation in non-Public Works purchasing. Discussion focused on identifying commonly purchased goods and services where qualified minority- and women-owned businesses are available but may not currently be bidding or receiving City business. Staff will work with City departments to identify frequently purchased goods and services and begin developing a more comprehensive vendor resource organized around those purchasing needs. The goal is to provide City buyers with an accessible pool of qualified vendors and identify areas where additional vendor recruitment and technical assistance may be beneficial. II. Department of Public Works : Szymanski presented the July 2026 DPW Report. At the July Board of Public Works meetings, the following contracts were awarded: Contractor Paving Round 3 Awarded to Reith-Riley in the amount of $2,136,959. Walker Field Restroom Building Project Awarded to Majority Builders in the amount of $686,737. A Good Faith Waiver was issued for the project. Project Completion Affidavits: Mishawaka Avenue Streetscape Completed by Milestone Contractors with a final contract amount of $3,961,022. The project exceeded both MBE and WBE participation goals. South Bend Range Cleanup Completed by Indiana Earth with a final contract amount of $619,244. The project exceeded both MBE and WBE participation goals. Good Faith Waiver – Walker Field Restroom Building Project Szymanski provided an overview of the Good Faith Waiver issued to Majority Builders for the Walker Field Restroom Building Project. Majority Builders solicited certified firms during the bidding process, including an MBE plumbing contractor that declined the available scope and a WBE contractor that expressed interest but ultimately did not submit a bid. Additional outreach and follow-up documentation were reviewed by staff. Based on the available subcontracting opportunities, project scope, contractor outreach, bid information, project timing, and other project constraints, ODI and Legal determined that the contractor demonstrated sufficient Good Faith Efforts to receive the waiver. Board discussion focused on whether granting a waiver at the beginning of a project could create an expectation that limited pre-award solicitation is sufficient under the revised program. Members emphasized that contractors should continue pursuing MBE/WBE participation throughout the life of a project and that Good Faith Waivers should remain a last resort. Legal clarified that the waiver determination was based on the totality of the circumstances and does not prevent ODI from continuing to work with the contractor to identify additional participation during project performance. Staff also confirmed that contractor outreach and follow-up documentation were reviewed as part of the determination. Jones noted an opportunity to further strengthen and clarify the City's Good Faith Effort process to ensure consistent expectations for contractors under the revised program. III. Office of Diversity & Inclusion: Supplier Access Summit Jones provided an update on the 2026 Supplier Access Summit scheduled for October 22, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Summit will provide a full day of education, procurement resources, business development support, and opportunities for small businesses to connect with City buyers, financial institutions, entrepreneurial support organizations, and other partners. Sponsorship outreach is underway, and the event has received an initial sponsorship commitment. The Supplier Access Grant pitch competition will return, with a goal of increasing the award from $2,000 in 2025 to $3,000 in 2026. Registration is $25. Jones explained that the registration fee was established due to limited event capacity and to encourage registrants to follow through with attendance. Additional speakers are being recruited in the areas of marketing, technology and digital tools, workforce development, and human resources. Board members discussed potential community partners and speakers who may support the event. MWBE Certification Program Exploration Jones provided an update on the City's efforts to identify a replacement certification pathway following the State of Indiana's discontinuation of its MBE/WBE certification process. The State certification database is no longer available for new certification or verification, limiting the City's ability to expand its pool of certified MBE/WBE businesses if it continues relying primarily on the State program. Jones reported that research is underway regarding internal certification programs operated by other municipalities. Staff has spoken with representatives from Peoria, Illinois and Dayton, Ohio, reached out to Champaign, Illinois, and gathered additional information from jurisdictions represented at the American Contract Compliance Association conference. Staff has also discussed the Certification Management module available through B2Gnow, the City's existing contract compliance and goal-setting platform. Other certification options were reviewed, including certifications offered by Indianapolis and national minority- and women-owned business certifying organizations. Discussion noted geographic restrictions associated with the Indianapolis program and costs associated with some national certifications. Staff is also exploring whether the City could partner with another governmental entity or certifying organization to perform certifications on the City's behalf. Jones reported that the goal is to return to the Board with a more developed recommendation regarding the structure, staffing, platform, cost, and potential implementation timeline for a City-administered certification process. Board members discussed the relationship between certification and the City's upcoming disparity study. Discussion emphasized that the City will need a viable mechanism for identifying certified firms if it intends to continue administering an MBE/WBE participation program based on the findings of the disparity study. IV. New Business: None V. Old Business: Meeting Schedule Staff confirmed that the Board's previously approved change from Tuesday meetings to Wednesday meetings will remain in effect for the remainder of 2026. Staff will review meeting dates and City Hall room availability later in the year before establishing the 2027 IPC Board meeting calendar. VI. Floor Open to the Public: No public comments were made. Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was made and approved.