Local contractors tell Caddo committee they face barriers; one alleges racial disparity in awards
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Summary
During public comment at the Caddo Parish School Board ad hoc committee, contractors described insurance, bonding and timing barriers and one contractor alleged a long-term racial disparity in award patterns; committee members asked staff for historical participation data and procurement records.
Several local contractors and residents used the committee’s public comment period to describe obstacles they said keep local businesses from winning district contracts and to press the committee for investigative data.
Contractors’ accounts: Alfonso Williams, a general contractor, said he has submitted many bids and obtained only two contracts in 20 years, and told the committee he found a "disparity between 1 race in construction and another... is probably 98 percent 1 way." Williams said he filed a public-records request through district communications staff and received documents he believes support his claim.
Shelton Henderson, another contractor, described practical challenges in District projects — short completion windows, project management issues and smaller subcontracting ecosystems — and urged committee members to visit active job sites to see persistent operational constraints.
Staff response and committee reaction: Procurement and legal staff did not dispute the commenters’ accounts during the meeting but repeatedly told the committee they lacked the summary reports the board once received showing program performance. A procurement staff member said formal disqualification of bidders is rare; "26 years I've been here, we have not officially disqualified anyone," she said, underscoring how difficult it is to use past performance as a de facto ban on bidders.
What the committee asked for: Committee members and staff agreed to gather historical procurement and vendor participation records and analyze whether process changes or expanded outreach are needed. The committee asked staff to assemble vendor participation data by race, gender and geography if available and to summarize policy barriers that may limit local and minority-owned firm participation.
Next steps: The committee instructed staff to return with the requested records and analysis so members can determine whether policy recommendations or state-level action is necessary.