MBE/WBE discussion regarding Baltimore Race

[apollo8fan]

Contract looks good, but I don't know how many people will like those tacked-on fees above the ticket price. Who knows. Here's where the contract does mess with the free market a bit:

Downforce Racing must comply with all city laws regarding contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses to make best efforts to reach goals set by the City. In addition, Downforce Racing will use commercially reasonable efforts to award at least 25 percent of the contracts under its control to Baltimore-based and qualified business enterprises.

While I appreciate the efforts of the city to promote minority and women-owned businesses, this ties their hands significantly to get competitive bids for vendors and contractors. I personally know of a few "women-owned" businesses that are really only such on paper to get government and education contracts.

Still great to see the event holds promise.

[WillMazeo]

I think this "city laws regarding contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses " is pretty stupid. Do a good job and you grow, it's what everyone else does, isn't it?

Randy said he likes 1 year deal, but Sao Paulo has a deal till 2019 (what is very long, I'd like they could change that race to somewhere better) and now 5 year deal with Baltimore?

[piercey]

I think this "city laws regarding contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses " is pretty stupid. Do a good job and you grow, it's what everyone else does, isn't it?

Unfortunately it is part of the rules and regulations up here in the US. Speaking from my area of expertise: most airports in the US are required to give at least 10% of their business to a DBE (Disadvantaged Business Entity, or woman/minority owned).

[Scuff]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

[Nigel Red5]

Contract looks good, but I don't know how many people will like those tacked-on fees above the ticket price. Who knows. Here's where the contract does mess with the free market a bit:
While I appreciate the efforts of the city to promote minority and women-owned businesses, this ties their hands significantly to get competitive bids for vendors and contractors. I personally know of a few "women-owned" businesses that are really only such on paper to get government and education contracts.

Still great to see the event holds promise.

It says in the Sun article that those requirements are essentially unenforceable guidelines. Define "commercially reasonable".

"The contract does ask Downforce to give preference to last year's vendors as much as possible, but does not require the new group to work exclusively with the companies who were not paid last year.

Dillon said the team will post all bids on the company website to solicit contractors. While the contract suggests goals for hiring local companies and minority- and women-owned firms, they are not legally binding, city officials said.

"It will be up to us to decide who the most qualified contractors are," he said."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bre...142,full.story

[WillMazeo]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

It did, with Danica. What to NOT do.

[indybail]

It did, with Danica. What to NOT do.

No, Danica's role was as a driver not an owner. Now Sarah Fisher, a winning team owner, can't seem to get an IndyCar mandated engine deal to date.

[irlracingfan]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

I thought the United Sates was supposed to be free enterprise... not socialism. If female-owned businesses, or black-owned businesses, are given preferential treatment at the expense of those who only want to see an IndyCar race, I'd call that discrimination. These businesses should have to play on a level playing field... like the white-male-owned businesses who are also being unjustifiably discriminated against.

[Nigel Red5]

I thought the United Sates was supposed to be free enterprise... not socialism. If female-owned businesses, or black-owned businesses, are given preferential treatment at the expense of those who only want to see an IndyCar race, I'd call that discrimination. These businesses should have to play on a level playing field... like the white-male-owned businesses who are also being unjustifiably discriminated against.

You and I call it (blatant) discrimination. Others call it promoting affirmative action for minority and female owned business...You're dealing with a city where minorities are the majority and traditional democratic values are the rule and the exception and we probably should leave that subject alone on this forum.

[PenelopePitstop]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

Pardon me, but who hired Randy Bernard?

[CorvetteFan]

and indycar would never put a female in a race car

[rrrr]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

Yes, they can follow the example set by Indianapolis and the contractor which provides labor for LOS...

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...t=#post2905488

http://www.wthr.com/story/16646500/u...as-oil-stadium

The questions involve improper wages and allegations of racism at MS Staffing. The local temp agency provides year-round employees to Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center, Banker's Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field and dozens of private companies around central Indiana.

Over the past three months, 13 Investigates has received more than 60 complaints from MS Staffing workers who say their paychecks have come up short week after week. During recent Friday (payday) visits to the company's west-side recruiting office, WTHR found many employees had received incorrect paychecks – or no check at all.

"It's short 8 to 18 hours every week and it shouldn't be like that," said Darrelle Rispor, who was assigned by MS Staffing to work on the Lucas Oil Stadium grounds crew. "I got $132 and I worked 32 hours last week; got paid for 18. I'm tired of this," he said, looking at his paycheck and shaking his head. "I work hard for my family and I feel like they should pay me like I'm working hard."

Which caused me to comment:

I can pretty much promise that MS Staffing is a "Minority Business Enterprise" with Snoddy as the figurehead owner. The abuse of MBE certifications and the gullibility of municipalities in using them is a joke.

And further remark:

As expected, this logo is on MS Inspection and Logistics Inc. website...



What a surprise.

In Dallas a WBE/MBE certification is a ticket to government freebies and largess. The reporting and contract requirements for normal businesses are typically ignored by the City of Dallas, it's more important to use a WBE/MBE than look out for the taxpayer's money.

Another poster was surprised that City of Indianapolis bidding regulations had been summarily bypassed so this contract could be issued:

CIB's current CONTRACT with MS Staffing is a 1-page document. It does not address discrimination, harassment, background checks, worker pay or other issues commonly found in municipal contracts. Levengood admits that is an oversight.

That right there is damn impressive. How do they get away with that?

Yes, hopefully IndyCar can learn that a large percentage of MBE/WBEs are just fronts run by unscrupulous businessmen taking advantage of the gullibility of those that think social engineering is a means to make the world sunshine and lollipops, and hire legitimate businesses that will help the series progress and grow.

[Scuff]

Yes, they can follow the example set by Indianapolis and the contractor which provides labor for LOS...

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...t=#post2905488

http://www.wthr.com/story/16646500/u...as-oil-stadium



Which caused me to comment:



And further remark:



Another poster was surprised that City of Indianapolis bidding regulations had been summarily bypassed so this contract could be issued:




Yes, hopefully IndyCar can learn that a large percentage of MBE/WBEs are just fronts run by unscrupulous businessmen taking advantage of the gullibility of those that think social engineering is a means to make the world sunshine and lollipops, and hire legitimate businesses that will help the series progress and grow.

I'm fully aware of the legitimacy of MBE/WBEs. I'm referring to the lack of respect shown to SFR by Indycar in their motor program, while they slobber all over their shoes about scoring an aging F1 castoff and a half dozen underqualified ride buyers. Sorry I wasn't clear on that and caused some people to exhaust themselves jumping to conclusions. Now that I've cleared that up, I suspect a few of you will continue jumping.

[Z28]

I am never surprised to encounter the closed minds that are so against anyone who might be different. And I know that if there's one thing that overrides so many INDYCAR fans from some places is selfishness. Construction companies and suppliers that get big government contracts grow because they are big enough to bid on the entire project. I am I the only one who has seen big government projects that have cost overruns? And those big companies make more money because of them and get bigger. And with their size they build influence with the government agencies that bid those contracts. And over time have created a closed circle of the old boy network that shuts out small companies not owned by the politically connected. Of course if you're of the old bootstrap code you have no problem with outsiders not being afforded the opportunity to play the game because hey they should have been born into a family business filled with connections and they wouldn't be on the outside looking in and never getting anywhere.

[MoparsRule]

Good to see Baltimore is looking after its female owned businesses. Perhaps Indycar could learn something.

And maybe someday people will be judged by the content of their character & not the color of their skin... or their gender.

[PenelopePitstop]

the lack of respect shown to SFR by Indycar in their motor program

I agree. The league should have made each supplier responsible, in order, to take on any additional teams that sign on for a season. That's what partners do.

an aging F1 castoff

who could easily be the next Indycar champ.

Just sayin'

[BadazzZ06]

We solved the problem in California back in 1996 when the voters approved Proposition 209.

The relevant text ...

"The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting."

and

"For the purposes of this section, "state" shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the state itself, any city, county, city and county, public university system, including the University of California, community college district, school district, special district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instrumentality of or within the state."

So far, court battles have been waged for the last 15 years, and it has been upheld all the way to the US Supreme Court.