Published May 17 2024
Plus, Council weighs in on federal priorities and proclaims Bike Everywhere Month, Police Week and Affordable Housing Week
This week, the City Council received an update on significant work done recently to assess and propose revisions to the city’s Procurement Diversity Inclusion Plan, originally created in 2016 as part of the city’s Diversity Advantage Initiative to remove structural disadvantages and enhance opportunities for small and diverse businesses to do work with the City of Bellevue.
In 2023, the city conducted stakeholder outreach and held feedback sessions, which helped guide the plan updates aimed at enhancing inclusivity and equity in the city’s procurement processes.
The proposed updates include:
- Providing enhanced technical support for the city’s potential vendors to better navigate and apply for business opportunities
- Fostering transparency and more robust data reporting
- Cultivating strong and lasting relationships with partners and the vendor community
- Elevating the standards of procurement practices to be innovative and inclusive
These changes are designed to increase the overall use of small and diverse businesses in the city’s contracting. Specific go-forward actions to accelerate achievement of more equitable and inclusive procurement include providing regular office hours for vendors, revamping procurement processes and resources to make them clearer and easier to understand for vendors, developing new procurement communications and hosting events and workshops for learning and collaboration.
Federal priorities
In other business, councilmembers reviewed the city’s 2024-2025 federal agenda, a document that communicates the city’s vision and high-priority objectives for Bellevue’s work with the federal government. The agenda serves as a representation of the city’s federal interests to the congressional delegation, federal agencies, and stakeholders, letting them know what the city will likely request and/or support.
Councilmembers offered input on the draft agenda and will review a final draft for action at the next council meeting. Further advocacy efforts are planned throughout the year to promote Bellevue's priorities and partnerships with federal entities.
More details, including the draft federal agenda presented at the meeting, are in the meeting materials.
Proclamations for Bike Everywhere Month, National Police Week and Affordable Housing Week
The council proclaimed at Tuesday’s meeting May as Bike Everywhere Month, encouraging community members to consider cycling for commuting or recreation this month and throughout the year.
They also proclaimed May 12-18 as National Police Week, honoring the work and community service of all low enforcement officers as well as the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty.
And, a proclamation was read to recognize Affordable Housing Week during May 13-17 to elevate awareness of the critical need to create ample affordable housing to support healthy, thriving communities.