Meet King County’s Small Business Advocates
Four years ago King County Executive Dow Constantine issued an Executive Order that aimed to reform the County’s procurement and contract business processes, and included a goal of providing greater opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and minority- and women-owned businesses to compete for and obtain County contracts.
As we get ready to celebrate National Small Business Week from May 12 – 16, we spoke to some of King County’s small business advocates in the Business Development and Contract Compliance group in the Department of Executive Services to see what the County is doing to make it easier for small firms to do business with King County while helping departments and agencies get the most out of the skills and expertise of local small businesses.
“If you’re a small business, the idea of doing business with government can seem daunting and complicated, and many are unsure of how to navigate through County processes,” said Sandy Hanks, Business Development and Contract Compliance, Manager, Department of Executive Services. “We’re the one-stop shop that is willing to take the hand of that small business owner, guide him or her through the process, with an eye on increasing our small business participation.”
The Executive Order has done a great job at spurring our use of not only small businesses, but also minority- and women-owned businesses. The 2012 program data shows that the County is making it easier for vendors and contractors to do business with King County and providing greater opportunities for small businesses to compete for and obtain contracts. For example:
- There was a 52% increase in the number of certified SCS firms from 1,115 in 2010 to 1,694 in 2012
- Certified SCS participation in construction contract awards increased from 13% in 2010 to 22% in 2012
- Certified SCS participation in consulting services contract awards rose from 9% in 2010 to 16% in 2012.
One reason for that success is the role that Sandy’s team plays in working with departments and agencies before contracts are advertised to ensure that small businesses have the opportunity to compete for County contracts.
“Any contract that County agencies let that are formally advertised on the County’s Procurement website for competition is reviewed by our office and we look at the scope for what are the subcontracting opportunities,” said John Trausch, a Contract Specialist III with DES. “We work with agencies to consult with them to break that project out into elements that afford greater subcontracting opportunities.”
To access contracting opportunities and to take advantage of incentives and requirements for their participation as a small business with the County, businesses must first apply for certification as a small contractor or supplier (SCS). Applications include information about the firm’s size and financial information about the business and its owners’, which is reviewed by the Business Development and Contract Compliance team to determine whether that business meets the eligibility criteria set by the County in each business category.
Once a business is approved for SCS certification it receives a letter of approval and is included in an online directory of certified firms, which is used by other participating government agencies, as well as prime contractors when they’re looking for SCS businesses to help them meet a specific required percentage of participation for their use on County contracts, or when they’re looking for small firms to help them with other non-government jobs. The certification is regional and applies to opportunities not only on King County contracts but also on Port of Seattle, Sound Transit and Seattle Colleges (formerly Seattle Community Colleges) contracts. Our goal is to expand the one-stop small business certification to other public agencies.
One of the best outcomes that certification offers small businesses is the access to contracting opportunities it provides, says Contract Specialist II Mary Rainey. “When we first launched the program, one of our engineering firms that applied for and was approved for certification early on said ‘Wow, Mary, it’s taken me years to make these connections! I do the same work that I did before but I couldn’t get the doors of any of the big primes open.’ So you still have to show that you can do the work, but it can open the door. And that firm quickly grew out of the business size threshold because of access to those opportunities that were there but weren’t accessible previously.”
The program also means a better result for departments and agencies.
“You get a better quality outcome when you have that consultation upfront with us,” Sandy said. “We’re trying to help departments incorporate the County’s Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) principles into their purchasing decisions and to anticipate that next step so that when they’re looking for that widget or service again, they will remember that the County has a certified pool of small contractors and suppliers that are available to them for use.”
The other outcome is more economic opportunities for people in our region.
“As much as it’s an equity and social justice effort, it’s also an economic development effort,” John said. “It’s about creating jobs for local residents and helping those businesses thrive in a tough economy.”
Nominations for the Executive’s Small Business Awards opened May 1 and run through June 30. If you know of a small business that you think should be recognized by the Executive, we’d like to hear from you. Nominations are open now – find out more.
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Featured Job: Wastewater Engineer – Journey (modeler)
Application deadline: Fri. 05/16/14 4:30 PM
Salary: $75,400.00 – $95,576.00 Annually
Department: Department of Natural Resources & Parks – Wastewater Treatment Division
Description: Perform computer modeling of King County’s wastewater service area and conveyance system in support of the Wastewater Treatment Division’s capital projects. Modeling will simulate both the hydrologic responses of the basins as well as the hydraulic behavior of conveyance facilities. Modeling work will be performed for a variety of WTD projects, such as developing Design Flow Technical Memoranda for Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) projects and for WTD’s Conveyance System Improvement projects.
Learn more about this position or view all available jobs.
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Kudos! Tino Brown, Metro Transit Operator
I would like to compliment driver Tino Brown. Tino operates his bus (Route 197) as if it is an extension of himself. As I see it he is comfortable driving and is alert to other drivers informing them that the bus is near them. He gets us to our destination as quick as safely possible. He also has a “good morning” for everyone as they enter and leave the bus; very refreshing. Please let Tino know that he is doing a great job – Kathleen
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Save the Date for upcoming Services Days
On May 12 (Chinook) and May 20 (King Street Center) KCIT and DES are teaming up once again to present Service Day.
Don’t miss this opportunity to talk with your internal service owners to better understand KCIT & DES internal services and rate structures. You can also get a copy of our 2015 Service Catalog and join the discussion on Mobility, the cloud, ESJ in IT, Energy Efficiency (SVE, Data Center), Bring your Own Device & Mobile Device Management, SharePoint, Unified Communications and more!
- May 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Chinook Building, (401 5th Avenue, Seattle) Rooms 121/123
- May 20, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. King Street Center (201 S. Jackson Street, Seattle) in the 8th Floor Conference Room.
Service Day is an opportunity for our valued customers to learn more about our services and our 2015 rates, in advance of finalizing your agency’s initial proposed 2015-2016 biennial budgets. Our Service Day will include a variety of ways to engage and learn more about services.
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Kudos! Callista Kennedy, Access & Outreach, Public Health – Seattle & King County
“I am a full time UW student and busy mother of 3 small children. After the switch from DSHS medical to Apple Health, my one year old was suddenly dropped from his insurance. I have been trying for a couple weeks to figure out how to get him back on insurance without messing up the rest of the family’s insurance and having to reapply for everyone. I called and visited multiple local and state resources only to be told there was a waitlist, I couldn’t be helped, and to be hung up on. I received the number for King County Public Health from my local WIC office and I have to admit, I was not very optimistic about the outcome of my call. I dialed the number and was greeted by Callista Kennedy. I explained my circumstances and within 30 minutes she had everything fixed. I cannot explain how much I appreciate the help she provided. I have spent hours talking to people who could care less about myself or my son’s insurance and that was not the feeling I got when talking to Callista. I hope all of your representatives will see this email and use her service as an example for everyone.”
Sincerely, Tosha E.
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Employees Share Learnings from Equity Conference
A group of employees who attended the Governing for Racial Equity (GRE) Conference in Portland, Ore., last month came back with new ideas and renewed energy for challenging racial inequity in our community.
“People brought all of their expertise and experience to the conference, and our job now is to bring that back to our work and to grow it,” said Jo Anne Fox, a Budget Analyst in the Office of Performance, Budget and Strategy, at a lunch and learn discussion for employees.
More than 550 people from around the United States attended the conference to learn more about what other governments are doing to achieve racial equity and eliminate institutional and structural racism.
Panelists Richard Gelb, Paula Harris-White, Matias Valenzuela, Ericka Turley, Jo Anne Fox discuss the GRE Conference.
The conference attendees shared their experiences and learnings at a lunch and learn discussion in the Chinook Building last week.
Gerty Colville, Project/Program Manager with Solid Waste Division, spoke about a session she attended on inventive ways to bring more at-risk youth, people of color and populations experience economic disparity into public service, and her concern for how we’re going to ensure our workforce is more representative of the diversity of our communities.
“I’m troubled by some of the barriers we have to bringing in folks who can do a lot of the work we do but don’t have the five year degrees, don’t have the Master’s (degree), and don’t have the same access; and I think that’s something we’re all struggling with,” Gerty said.
Paula Harris-White, Manager of Equity and Social Justice Programs in the Department of Executive Services, pointed to estimates that suggest a 46 percent turnover in County employees over the next five years due to retirements and general staff turnover, and what this means for our recruitment.
“This gives King County a great opportunity to look at the way it hires, promotes, retains, everything it does around employment, and think about how we are going to be more reflective of the communities we serve,” Paula said. “Often we try to hire people to replace the person who just left without realizing they started at another level and they worked up to that level. But we still want to hire someone with the experience of the person who just walked out the door as opposed to trying to make the most of the opportunity.”
You can review the conference materials here.
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Five Questions with Tom Watson, Manager, King County EcoConsumer Program, Solid Waste Division
1. What was your first role with King County? I started as a 60-percent-time employee in 1992, working three days a week and caring for our baby while my wife also worked part-time. I started with the same section I’m still in, Recycling and Environmental Services in the Solid Waste Division, but at that time it was called Waste Reduction and Recycling. My first assignment was developing a plan for appliance recycling.
2. What does the EcoConsumer program do? The King County EcoConsumer program does public outreach on a wide range of environmental issues, from climate change to very specific aspects of “being green.” As part of my job managing the program, I have written the EcoConsumer column for the Seattle Times for nine years, do regular EcoConsumer segments on KOMO4 TV, do lots of other media stuff, and make presentations to organizations, businesses and students all across King County. Our program is also active on Twitter.
3. What do you like most about your job? Engaging with people and hearing their questions and comments. At an Earth Day event in Issaquah recently, where we were talking about waste and energy use, a girl about 13 asked, “If we don’t make any big changes in the way we do things, what do you think the world will look like in 50 years?” Our answers may not have been that memorable, but that question really stuck with me. I also love it when people need specific help, like finding a certain type of green product, and I am able to provide an answer that helps them take action.
4. What is the biggest challenge in your job? Being accessible, responsive and accurate. I don’t always succeed. Answering questions and meeting the information needs of the public and media are the priorities, and the EcoConsumer program needs to always do that in a way that serves the best interests of King County government and the County’s residents and businesses.
5. What is your main goal for 2014? My personal goal is the same as the goal for the EcoConsumer program, and it’s the same every year: Do honest, responsive environmental public outreach that reaches as many people as possible and results in positive actions.
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WTD Staff Rescue Citizen in Amazing Emergency Response
On March 20, West Point wastewater treatment plant staff rescued a man who had climbed over the fence, fallen into the channel, and was carried downstream about 500 feet where the current pinned him to equipment in the partially-treated wastewater where he was difficult to see. In an amazing twist of luck, Operator Darek Kenaston happened to see the man through a grate during his routine area check. Thankfully, the operations team pulled the man to safety and he was taken to the hospital and did not appear to be injured. The quick and professional response to this incident by WTD employees likely saved a life and prevented serious injury. 
“Incidents like this one highlight the importance of our safety and emergency response training,” says Pam Elardo, Wastewater Treatment Division Director. “This gentleman is very lucky to be alive, and we are grateful to have extraordinary staff that were able to respond to this extreme situation. I am amazed and impressed with our staff’s ability to pull together and act so effectively in a crisis. They performed exceptionally.”
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Lisa Daugaard tapped to serve as DPD’s Deputy Director
Lisa Daugaard, a longtime public defender with a rich history in advocacy and civic affairs, was recently named the deputy director of the Department of Public Defense.
She comes to DPD from The Defender Association Division, where she has served as deputy director since 2007. Lisa is a graduate of Yale Law School; she also has a master’s in government from Cornell University. After she obtained her J.D. in 1995, Lisa went to work for The Defender Association, where she handled misdemeanor and felony work, represented hundreds of WTO co-defendants, and helped to launch TDA’s Racial Disparity Project, a highly regarded project that uses policy advocacy, litigation, community organizing and other education to reduce racial bias in the criminal justice system. She also helped to develop LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion), which has been hailed as a model for low-level drug offenders and is being replicated in other cities.
Lisa is working closely with Dave Chapman, the County’s Public Defender, on all aspects of running the new Department of Public Defense.
(Excerpted from DPD’s For The Defense newsletter).
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SNAP-Education is Changing Lives
Aaron Porter, a fifth-grade student at John Muir Elementary school, has been a participant in the Public Health SNAP-Ed Eat Better, Feel Better (EBFB) nutrition education classes for the past six years, since kindergarten.
And for the past several years, Aaron’s mother Akberet Gedlu has volunteered in his classroom.
She sat in during several lessons when Public Health’s EBFB nutrition educator, Nancy Tudorof, taught students about healthy eating. She appreciated that the students chopped lettuce, sampled kale, and made healthy recipes that actually tasted good! Over the years, Akberet reports that Aaron began realizing that healthy food can taste really good. He brought recipes home – from bean dip and green smoothies to frozen mangos – and begged her to make them.
Akberet couldn’t believe what was happening to her family. Real change! They began to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
According to Aaron, it’s better to “Eat wheat instead of white”. Hmm… sounds like an EBFB message.
Akberet used to think that healthy foods were bland and that kids wouldn’t eat vegetables. She thought that cooking dinner required spending hours in the kitchen making fried chicken and potatoes for her two. Akberet admitted to forgetting the basics of how to cook even the simplest things. Akberet is East African and was taught that boys were not meant to be in the kitchen. Yet, it was Aaron who got her back into the kitchen. Welcoming Aaron into the kitchen wasn’t easy at first, but now being in the kitchen together has made their mother-son bond even stronger. It made her feel more at ease that Aaron had a lot of practice using a knife to chop vegetables during EBFB classes.
Akberet hears from other mothers at John Muir Elementary School about their children sampling and eating more fruits and vegetables at home. I asked her how she knew that she was eating more fruits and vegetables and she laughed. “My grocery receipts are proof! I’m buying more” she said. She shops at her local Columbia City Farmers Market. She has even lost weight.
Her children are healthier. Aaron used to have allergies and eczema and was teased because he had dark circles around his eyes. Aaron does not have eczema, dark circles or allergies anymore. Aaron says it is because he is eating more vegetables. Akberet says it is also because he is drinking more water and less soda. But that doesn’t mean that Aaron feels deprived – actually the opposite.
Eat Better, Feel Better is funded by the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed), for schools with more than fifty percent of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Six Seattle schools are participating —Van Asselt, John Muir, Maple, Dearborn Park, Bailey Gatzert and South Shore K-8.
(By Elizabeth Kimball, SNAC Program Supervisor. Excerpted from Public Health’s HealthBeat newsletter).
Employee News 