Virginia contractors having a tough time finding diverse subs to meet state goals

Large, prime contractors in Virginia are having difficulty finding enough certified small and minority- and women-owned subcontractors to meet the state’s diversity policy goals, according to a survey of businesses and public entities in the state.

The survey also revealed that some subs that would qualify under diversity goals thought the certification process was challenging, or were unaware of opportunities presented to them if they went through that process. The difficulty in meeting diversity goals has also been reported in other areas of the country.

Less than a third of the Boston’s top 150 projects met racial equity goals, and none met targets for women contractors. In Florida, a contractor recently asked for more time to complete a luxury condo project, in part because of a struggle to find enough diverse workers to meet goals.

The Virginia survey and other reporting on the diversity challenge could indicate that prime contractors aiming for federal infrastructure projects will have a tough time finding qualified subcontractors to meet diversity goals.