GSA Urged to Prioritize Equity in Procurement as Feds Move to Electrify Fleet

WASHINGTON — Two key Black associations in the energy and construction fields are urging the General Services Administration to ensure equity in its procurement processes as the government moves to electrify its vehicle fleet.

In a letter to GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan, the leaders of the American Association of Blacks in Energy and the National Association of Black Women in Construction say they believe the agency has failed in recent years to incorporate an “ambitious whole-of-government” approach when it comes to equity in government contracting.

This is particularly upsetting, they said, because the justification for spending on projects under the Inflation Reduction Act has repeatedly included a provision stating that these projects will benefit communities “adversely affected by persistent inequality.”

At present, they added, no small businesses in disadvantaged or historically underserved communities appear to benefitting from the GSA’s effort to convert its light duty vehicles to 100% electric by 2027, and its medium- and heavy-duty fleet to all electric by 2035.

 “As U.S. infrastructure spending continues to grow and reach needed levels for remediation and renewal, it is imperative that equity is a laser-focused effort to bring historically disadvantaged and Black business owners into the mix to assure building capacity in diverse communities,” said AABE President Ralph Cleveland in a separate written statement.

“Neglecting equity as a needed outcome will risk not only falling short in sustainable growth but will also exacerbate racial disparities within our economy,” Cleveland said.

Ann McNeill, chair and co-founder of NABWIC was even more direct.

“It is our assertion that GSA failed to remove systemic procurement barriers as mandated by President Biden’s Executive Order 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities and Small Businesses, which resulted in no Black Americans having any contracts for zero emissions projects,” she said in a statement.

The net result of these alleged failures, they said, is that the owners of Black-owned enterprises that could assist in the electrification of the federal vehicle fleet and the installation of charging stations and other infrastructure, are being deprived of the opportunity to grow their businesses and hire and train disadvantaged citizens.

The signers of the letter are requesting the agency issue “a 2024 8(a) and HUBZone Set Aside RFP for Blanket Purchasing Agreements and Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantities to procure zero emissions vehicles, electric vehicles chargers design, build and construction for 300,000 public buildings, and 600,000 vehicles to accelerate remedying and removing racial procurement barriers that have and will result in the absence of Black American disadvantaged, historically underserved small businesses in the Federal fleet electrification process.”

The effort is supported by the National Urban League, U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, EVNoire, Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition and Blacks in Electric Vehicles Infrastructure.

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