Governments across the country are committed to investing in racial equity, but many are struggling to translate that commitment into tangible outcomes for communities of color. This how-to guide highlights innovative procurement strategies that can help governments increase investments in historically marginalized communities and deliver services more equitably.
Governments spend anywhere from a third to half of their budgets on contracted services, and those services often have a direct effect on residents’ daily lives. From the school buses that pick up children in the morning, to the roads on which those buses travel, and the meals served in school cafeterias, procurement decisions touch the lives of residents every day. Governments that acknowledge the consequential and important role of procurement – as a strategic tool for directing resources and services to historically marginalized communities – can close the distance between their equity goals and the outcomes experienced by their residents.