Disparity Study

Hamilton County Economic Inclusion and Equity Department (HCEIE) implements the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program to enhance procurement opportunities for small businesses and minority and women-owned businesses in its contracting. HCEIE has commissioned BBC Research & Consulting (BBC) to conduct a disparity study to assess whether small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses face any barriers as part of its contracting processes. Information from the study will help the County assess its efforts to encourage small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses to bid on the agency's contracts and help inform what, if any, improvements are needed to optimize the County’s contracting processes and the SBE Program.

Click here to download the Final Report  

Study Analyses

The crux of the disparity study will be to examine whether there are any disparities between:

  • The percentage of contract dollars Hamilton County spent with small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses during the study period (utilization); and
  • The percentage of contract dollars small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses might be expected to receive based on their availability to perform specific types and sizes of the County’s contracts (availability).

The study period for the disparity study will be contracts and procurements Hamilton County awarded within a five-year period (e.g. January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2021). The study will also examine other information related to:

  • Legal considerations surrounding the County’s implementation of the SBE program;
  • Local marketplace conditions for minority and woman-owned businesses;
  • Contracting practices and assistance programs Hamilton County currently has in place; and
  • Potential program measures for the County to consider implementing to further encourage small business and minority and woman-owned business participation.

Study Schedule

BBC initiated the disparity study in July 2021 and will complete the study at the end of June 2022.

Key Contacts

If you have any questions or comments regarding the 2021 Hamilton County Disparity Study, please contact:

Robert Bell
Director of Economic Inclusion and Equity
Hamilton County
  - (513) 946-4428
  - [email protected]

Stephanie Ayers
Associate
BBC Research & Consulting
  - (303) 321-2547, ext. 249
  - [email protected]

Study Progress

Hamilton County will provide regular updates about BBC’s progress on the disparity study throughout its course. Please check back periodically for those updates.

Project Initiation

Hamilton County and BBC initiated the 2021 Hamilton County Disparity Study in July 2021 with a series of meetings with various County agencies and representatives. BBC met with the County to introduce the study, answer questions, and begin the process of understanding contracting and vendor data Hamilton County maintains. For the presentation the project team used for those meetings, click here.

Data Collection

BBC began working with the County in July 2021 to collect data on contracts the County awarded during the study period as well as information about the vendors that participated in those contracts.

Next Steps

  • Community meetings In August 2021, the project team will conduct community meetings. During the community meetings, BBC will present information about the disparity study, answer any questions, and solicit participants for any verbal or written testimony they would like to share regarding their experiences working in the local marketplace. For more details about the community meetings, click here. Please participate and make sure your insights are included as part of the study process!
  • Data collection. The project team will continue to work with Hamilton County to collect data on contracts it awarded during the study period and the vendors that participated in those contracts.
  • Data analysis The project team will begin analyzing data it collects from the County. BBC will begin assessing the work types that account for the majority of the County's contracting and procurement dollars; the geographical area most relevant to its contracting and procurement; and the percentage of total contract and procurement dollars small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses received on the agency's prime contracts and subcontracts during the study period.
  • Business surveys The project team will begin conducting telephone surveys with businesses in the relevant geographic market area that perform work relevant to Hamilton County contracting and procurement. If we contact your business, please participate in the survey process to help ensure accurate and comprehensive analyses!

Final Reports

  Disparity Study Final Report - 6/22

  Disparity Study Final Report Presentation - 6/22

  Disparity Study Update Report - 10/22