Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced on Monday a new contract that was awarded to Griffin & Strong, P.C, a law and public policy consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia.
The contract will give the group almost $900,000 for an “independent disparity study relative to the State of Connecticut’s contracting practices and procedures.”
“Ensuring equitable outcomes is paramount to my administration’s work, whether it be in education, workforce training, economic development, or access to assistance or contracting,” Governor Lamont said. “Equity in contracting is more important than ever as we work to recover from the pandemic and we see an influx of projects with the passage of the federal bipartisan infrastructure package. I look forward to the results of this study to help make future policy decisions that will ultimately open up doors for more businesses to work with the state and to make sure the contractors we work with are reflective of every corner of Connecticut.”
The funding stems from a law passed by legislators, which will review the state’s contracting procedures and requirements. Specifically, the goal is to examine “whether women and minority-owned businesses are underutilized in state contracting compared to the actual impact and role of small and minority businesses (SBE/MBEs) in Connecticut’s economy.”
The contract is effective until April 4, 2024.
“A disparity study of this kind hasn’t been done in over 20 years and is long overdue,” Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman said. “The Department of Administrative Services and the Lamont administration have supported the need for the study from day one, and we look forward to partnering with CHRO and Griffin & Strong to ensure we have the most effective supplier diversity program in the nation. I thank Governor Lamont for his leadership in this important matter, the legislators who worked with us, and our partners at CHRO.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Connecticut Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ned Lamont” by Ned Lamont. Background Photo “Connecticut State Capitol” by jglazer75. CC BY 2.0.
