PHILADELPHIA — The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) released its Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Report, which details all City contracts with minority, women and disabled-owned enterprises (M/W/DSBEs) during FY 2018. The overall City participation rate for FY 2018 was 33.17 percent, representing $279 million in contracts awarded to M/W/DSBE firms.

The FY 2018 Annual Report examines the portfolio mix of City contracts, including those from City departments and quasi-public agencies, awarded during the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. Participation is defined as the total contracts awarded to M/W/DSBEs as a percentage of available contracting dollars. In FY 2018, the City and quasi-public agencies awarded $440 million in contracts to M/W/DSBEs, an increase of more than $128 million from FY 2017. The combined participation rate for City and quasi-public contracts was 30.50 percent, slightly lower than the FY 2017 rate of 32.00 percent utilization.

“As our city continues on an upward trajectory, experiencing a great deal of economic success, we must ensure that all Philadelphians have an opportunity to thrive,” said Iola Harper, Deputy Director of Commerce for the Office of Economic Opportunity. “It is imperative that the businesses who succeed as a result of our ongoing renaissance are representative of Philadelphia’s population. The data in the FY 2018 Annual Report shows that the tides are slowly turning in our favor, improving access to opportunity for minority, women and disabled-owned businesses. However, we still have work to do. With a continued focus on tracking, compliance and capacity building, OEO will work closely with all City departments and quasi-public agencies to enhance their M/W/DSBE participation each year.”

Twenty-two out of 41 identified departments exceeded their departmental goals, and 17 surpassed the City’s 35 percent overall participation goal. Public Works’ M/W/DSBE participation experienced significant gains in FY 2018, awarding $89 million (29.97 percent) to minority, women or disabled-owned firms compared to $74 million (25.96 percent) in FY 2017. Additionally, Personal & Professional Services, which accounts for 50.46 percent of contracts, represented 56.43 percent ($158 million) of the City’s M/W/DSBE awards.

The City’s total M/W/DSBE participation (less quasi-public contracting) of $279 million was $32 million more than FY 2017, and the value of contracts awarded to both MBE and WBE firms increased as well. MBE firms received nearly $164 million in City contracts, up from $135 million in FY 2017; and WBEs received over $115 million in City contracts, compared to nearly $112 million last year.

Due to the advocacy and support of Office of Economic Opportunity, the number of businesses that have been formally certified as minority, women and disabled enterprises by a City-approved certifying agency has expanded to 2,976, an increase of 211 in the past year. Philadelphia-based businesses make up 30.11 percent of the OEO Registry, and Pennsylvania firms (including those in Philadelphia) account for 57.60 percent of the Registry.

The FY 2018 Annual Report, Appendix and OEO Registry of minority, women and disabled-owned firms can be found online at phila.gov/oeo.