Committee reviews Opportunity Caddo program, seeks better data and vendor accountability

The Caddo Parish School Board Opportunity Committee spent the bulk of its July 7 meeting reviewing the Opportunity Caddo vendor database and debating steps to increase use of local and economically disadvantaged contractors.

Miss Scott, who presented the program overview, said vendors register with the district and complete Louisiana Economic Development (LED) certification before being added to the OCP database, which is published on the district website for general contractors and staff to consult. "Once they're added to the OCP database, it's updated on our website, and vendors or general contractors can access it from there," Miss Scott said during the presentation.

Committee members pressed staff on what, if any, direct value OCP status provides during solicitation or award decisions. Members noted that state bid law requires many public‑works contracts to go to the lowest responsible bidder, and that RFPs use separate evaluation criteria. Staff and members agreed OCP status does not automatically award evaluation points; instead the program gains leverage when solicitations explicitly require or request outreach to OCP vendors.

Procurement staff said the district maintains two vendor sets: a general registered‑vendor list in the ERP system and a separate OCP roster for LED‑certified vendors. Staff reported 53 vendors are currently registered in the OCP database and that, for capital projects through May, OCP vendors accounted for roughly $4.2 million in spend in the staff sample. That sample produced a 16% share by the count of selected vendors in that department, but staff said when measured against total district purchasing the OCP share is closer to "3 or 4 percent." "If you are a OCP vendor, you're already in that database," the presenting staff member said, adding that the district will still issue a vendor ID to any registered supplier.

A recurring problem, staff said, is low vendor response to solicitations. Construction staff told the committee that email solicitations are required so there is a record of outreach, but that they see an "85 to 90%" nonresponse rate from vendors on solicitations. Staff and members said that documentation of attempted contact is important both for transparency and for later review when a contractor reports not finding local subs.

Members discussed operational barriers that reduce the program’s effectiveness. Staff observed that small vendors often fall out of the database because they go out of business or fail to update contact information. Members raised the risk that some subcontractors will not complete LED paperwork because they worry it may hurt their competitiveness. Several members also said general contractors sometimes solicit vendors perfunctorily and then do not use them, and that the district needs better accountability to verify whether outreach was completed in good faith.

To address those problems, the committee coalesced around several practical recommendations: implement a periodic (annual or biennial) vendor renewal or verification process so OCP listings are current; add a clear link on the school board’s website to LED resources and local assistance; create targeted vendor training and outreach (including fairs or workshops); collect school‑level vendor data so the district can measure total local spend; and consider establishing a dedicated OCP coordinator or office to manage outreach, marketing and data.

Several committee members recommended a simple annual checkbox or brief emailed confirmation that vendors must return to stay on the OCP roster. "If you want to stay on the list, you have to do that every year," one member said, arguing that removes stale entries and raises accountability. Other suggestions included surveying general contractors to understand why they do or do not use OCP firms and publishing trade‑categorized vendor lists for small, routine purchases.

Public comment underscored the committee’s concerns. Alfonso Williams of AWE Construction said the program currently lacks enforcement and therefore "there's no value in the project of this program" if contractors are not effectively required or held to consequences for failing to use OCP subs when appropriate. Williams urged clearer requirements and enforcement mechanisms.

The committee did not adopt new rules or a binding enforcement mechanism at this meeting. Members directed staff to prioritize a recommended set of changes—database renewal, a web link to assistance, vendor training and better school‑level data—and to return with a draft plan at the next meeting, scheduled for Aug. 4. The agenda to confirm the meeting was approved by voice vote earlier in the session.