NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION

2019 Disparity Study

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235 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 400Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 584-9777

ABOUT GRIFFIN & STRONG, P.C.

Firm Specializes in disparity research,

contract compliance,

program development,

training & supplier diversity consulting:

The most qualified team in the industry:

• 4 Juris Doctors

• 2 PhD Economists

• PhD Statistician

• PhD Candidate in Anthropology

• all with expertise in disparity research.

No study conducted by Griffin & Strong, P.C. has ever been

challenged or overturned in court.

PROJECT TEAMProject Team Roles and Responsibilities

LOCAL PARTNER

BLWall Consulting

Principal Consultant, Bridget Wall-Lennon

Role: to conduct procurement policy review, anecdotal interviews, public hearings, project outreach and surveys.

• Experience: Specializes in public policy, business, economic development and management.

• Provides DBE Certification & Support Services for the NCDOT Office of Civil Rights.

• Was responsible for establishing the NC HUB office and served as vice president and legislative chairperson of the NC MWBE Coordinators network.

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MANAGEMENT TEAM

Michele Clark-Jenkins

Sr. Director of Consulting Group

Role: Project Manager

PMP Certified Project Manager and Certified Contract Compliance Administrator

Experienced legal researcher, writer, and business consultant. Has expertise in contracts, negotiation and business structure.

Over 10 years experience managing Disparity studies with expertise in database management. Over 30 years experience in corporate business management, strategic planning and business development.

Project manager over 20 GSPC studies, 4 goal-settings for Georgia DOT, 3 goal-settings for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Inter’l Airport, and 3 benchmarks for Metro Nashville Government

Graduate of Princeton University and NY Law School, Certificate in Negotiation from Harvard University

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Dr. J. Vincent Eagan

Principal Investigator

Role: Principal Investigator, Policy Analysis

Professor, Economics, Morehouse College

One of the foremost national experts, serving on over 120 disparity studies.

Successful expert witness in 6 cases involving minority business programs. In two cases, Dr. Eagan’s testimony upheld disparity studies at the federal circuit court level.

Member of Bloomberg BusinessWeek Academic Advisory Panel for 12 years

Has a J.D. from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgia State University.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Dr. Gregory Price

Senior Economist

Role: Private Sector Analysis

Professor, Economics, Morehouse College.

Skilled Econometrician and Applied Theorist, Experienced in Economic Forensics. Has provided analysis for 12 GSPC studies including for Georgia Department of Transportation.

Over 15 years of experience in conducting economic analysis of discrimination and disparity.

Widely published in the areas of labor, employment, private sector contracting, lending, public contracting, self-employment, credit markets, and health disparities.

Previously served as Chairman of the Department of Economics at Morehouse College and interim Dean of Business School at Langston University.

Has both a PhD. And M.A. in Economics from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Dr. B. Rom Haghighi

Chief Statistician

Role: Quantitative Analysis

Dr. Haghighi is a senior statistician with over thirty years of experience in managing and analyzing large databases.

In 2008, Dr. Haghighi was recruited by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to oversee the largest disparity study ever conducted in the nation. The study included 149 state agencies, 9 medical and health science centers and 52 state universities, representing over 2.6 million cases.

Ph.D. with a concentration in data mining, data modeling and statistical analysis, Sam Houston State University (1985); M.A., Public Administration, Midwestern State University (1978); B.A., Political Science, College of Political Science (1975). Additional training in SPSS Programming, dBase IV, Mainframe Computers, SPSS Multivariate Programming.

Former board member for SPSS

MANAGEMENT TEAM

David Maher, Partner

Legal Analyst

Role: Legal Analysis

Experienced Attorney and Partner with Griffin & Strong’s legal division. Provides general counsel and legal review.

Litigation specialist with over 20 Years of Experience

Extensive experience across a wide variety of practice areas, including corporate defense, litigation support, civil appeals and general counsel

Recognized as a Georgia Top Rated Lawyer in Appellate Law and Labor and Employment Law. Admitted to practice in U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh and Seventh Circuits; and the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida and the Northern District of Georgia.

Drafted legal analysis for 6 disparity studies

Earned Juris Doctorate w/ High Honors from Florida State University College of Law

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Sterling Johnson

Director of Public Policy

Role: Deputy Project Manager and Community Engagement Coordination

Has significant experience in project management, community economic development and policy analysis and program consulting.

Has served as Deputy Project Manager for nine (9) Disparity Studies. Including engagements for the Georgia Department of Transportation and the City of Greensboro, NC.

Currently serving as Project Manager for 4 engagements, including the Living Cities City Accelerator 4, the City of Chattanooga Disparity Study and engagements for the City of Charlotte and Louisville Water Company

Holds B.A. in Sociology from Furman University and M.P.A. with focus in Economic Development and Planning from Georgia State University.

Certified Contract Compliance Administrator

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Imani Strong-Tucker

Anecdotal Research Analyst

Role: Anecdotal Evidence Analysis

Has worked with GSPC’s consulting division in data collection, project management, and anecdotal analysis on more than 16 major public contracts.

Responsible for review and revision of anecdotal data and processes and drafting of the anecdotal evidence chapter.

Skilled in anecdotal analysis, planning, reporting, writing project narratives, and social media outreach.

Trained in the social sciences at Mount Holyoke College (BA, summa cum laude) and the University of Oxford (MSc. Social Anthropology). Current Ph.D. candidate at London School of Economics.

Certified Contract Compliance Administrator

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Susan Johnson

Director of Project Development

Role: Project Administration

Top notch contract compliance professional with extensive public and private sector experience.

Significant history in public contracting with the City of Atlanta.

Responsible for contract administration with GSPC for 14 years. Also experienced in project management.

Holds two Master’s degrees from Georgia State University, in Human Resource Management and Urban Government Administration

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Rodney K. Strong, Esq

Chairman and CEO

Role: Project Executive

Former Director of Contract Compliance for the City of Atlanta, GA

Nationally recognized expert in area of disparity research & supplier diversity program development.

Project Manager for the first major municipal post-Croson disparity study

Principal architect of the City of Atlanta’s EBO Program, which became the national model for post-Croson MWBE programs

Invited to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship

METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH

Process for Study Execution

Disparity Studies Form the Factual Basis for Remedial Programs

➢City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469 (1989)

Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena.515 U.S. 200 (1995)

H.B. Rowe v. Tippett, 615 F.3d 233 (4th Cir 2010)

• Strict Scrutiny for race-based programs • (Intermediate for gender-based programs)

• Must have a factual predicate

• Methodology dictated by Case Law

• Must have narrowly-tailored remedy (to avoid over- or under-inclusion)

WHY DO WE DO DISPARITY STUDIES?

PURCHASING POLICIES AND PRACTICES

GSPC framework in conducting a detailed policy review:

Detailed Policy Review

Do any policies present a barrier to M/W/DBE inclusion?

Do procurement personnel understand policies as written?

Do procurement practices match NCDOT’s written policies?

What policies could be modified to promote M/W/DBE inclusion?

OUR PROCESS

Legal AnalysisPolicy, Practices, and Procurement

Review

Collect and Clean Data

Relevant Market Analysis

Utilization & Threshold Analysis

Availability Analysis Disparity AnalysisPrivate/Public Sector

Analysis

Anecdotal Evidence Collection and

Analysis

Final Report with Recommendations

Post Study Implementation

ANECDOTAL ANALYSIS

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Informational Meetings

Series of public engagements designed to bring awareness to study and educate on study process.

Anecdotal Interviews

In depth 1 on 1 interviews with business owners

Survey of Business Owners

Telephone & Online Survey to gather both quantitative and qualitative feedback.

Public Hearings Strategically placed engagements across the metro area to gather public testimony on record.

Focus Group A small group meeting by business owners selected by random sample

Organizational Meetings

We will identify and engage all relevant stakeholders (including Civic, Social and Industry Groups)

Email Comments & Website

Ensures that everyone has an opportunity to be heard

Formal Complaints

Review of formal complaints in the form of bid protests, or other administrative or legal proceedings.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

GSPC’s program development, management, and implementation expertise sets us apart.

Findings & Recommendations

• Review of Efficacy and Identification of Race/Gender Neutral and Race/Gender Conscious remedies

• Recommendations informed by study findings to guide narrow tailoring

• Both Best Practices and Innovative Approaches for Race/Gender Neutral or Race/Gender Conscious Remedies.

•Participate if contacted (by random selection) for:• Anecdotal Interview.

• Survey of Business Owners

• A Focus Group

•Attend a Public Hearing and provide input (early summer)

•Send an email comment to NCDOTStudy@gspclaw.com

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

•Find us on Facebook

•Tweet Us & Follow the Conversation @GriffinStrong on Twitter

•Check out NCDOTDisparityStudy.comfor latest information and public hearing dates

HOW TO STAY INVOLVED

NCDOT STUDY WEBSITE

DISPARITY STUDY PROJECT ARC

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Fall, 2018KickoffLegal Review.

Winter, 2019

Informational MeetingsOrganizational Meetings. Policy Review. Data Assessment.Data Collection.

Spring/Summer, 2019

Survey of Business Owners. Anecdotal Evidence Collection. Private Sector Analysis. Preparation of Databases.Disparity Analysis.

Fall, 2019

Anecdotal Evidence Analysis.Findings and Recommendations. Draft and Final Study

Report.

FIND US ON THE WEB AT WWW.GSPCLAW.COM

@GriffinStrong

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