MoCo government has contracted with something called “MGT Consulting Group” (a vendor it has used before) to search for racism and “gender discrimination” in markets the County is in and with sub-contractors the county government uses. This same contractor has secured the same “Disparity Study” service with neighboring Frederick County, MD, as well. It is indeed good to know people in the County Exec’s office!
Now, some County business owners are pointing out that this “study” appears to be little more then a fishing expedition to find and document discrimination that does not exist – particularly in a market and world where more and more initial project / contract bidding and RFP submission is done digitally and with very limited knowledge of what “race” is behind the counterparty making a bid.
“Much of the county business is conducted electronically. There is no way that a County Employee is going to know the race, ethnicity, of a person submitting for a project. The same goes for applying for credit, the submission is electronic. The redlining of the 50’s is gone.” said WFT Engineering owner (and one-time County Exec candidate) Reardon Sullivan.
“I had the opportunity to take part in one of the first [focus group] sessions [put on by MGT consultants and a sub-contractor, something called McMillion Communications]. From the beginning it was obvious that the County hired vendor, MGT, was spinning the participants’ answers. They wanted to “find” that the reason a participant did not get a contract was racism and away from the participant’s statements about the bureaucratic mess that strangles the County’s procurement office. I was totally disgusted.”
It is important to keep in mind that while MoCo government wastes time and money on this “Disparity Study” to find racism in local markets, the county itself was essentially engaged in a form of racism and “preferred pricing” for non-“white male” vendors via its non-profit vendor (MoCo Friends of the Library) putting on the official “County Comic Con” event. The event has since been moved to March 2nd. Luckily, local media spotlighting this discriminatory pricing scheme but the kibosh on this ridiculous idea.
“As a Black man growing up in Montgomery County, nothing is more insulting and demeaning than someone automatically saying that I need a handout just because of the color of my skin. It is truly insulting to say that someone who is Black or Brown automatically is disadvantaged, oppressed, a second-class citizen or a criminal. I’m tired of society viewing me as a victim or a survivor I want to be a “thriver.” noted Mr. Sullivan.
More to come.
