The SFO West Field Garage project provides a clear blueprint for this shift. With the client mandating that at least 20 percent of the labor force (30 percent on the design side) be comprised of Locally Based Enterprises (LBEs), Webcor has undertaken outreach to Bay Area LBEs, including two on-site events.
Instead of hosting a single, siloed event, the Austin Webcor Joint Venture, along with NIBBI and Skanska, held a joint LBE outreach event on September 11.
Webcor also partnered with SFO, including West Field Program Director Kristin Allen. "Because of this partnership, we were able to offer educational components in our presentation that addressed not only multiple contracting opportunities, but also labor compliance, local hire, bonding and insurance for our LBE partners, LBE compliance, and much more," says Outreach & Partnerships Manager Sharla Sullivan.
This multi-project approach significantly increased the range of available work scopes. As Project Director Wayne Campbell explained, "Webcor's project doesn't include every scope of work performed by local businesses, but many that we don't have, the other GCs did." This draws a deeper pool of LBEs.
Key subcontractors, including Rosendin, Cupertino, and Southland, also participated, demonstrating the entire ecosystem's commitment to local inclusion.
What does this intentional engagement yield? More than just signed contracts.
Mentorship in Action: The event functioned as a "mini mentorship program," allowing small firms to gain actionable advice directly from seasoned GCs and subcontractors.
Process Simplified: Airport representatives cut through bureaucratic fog by clearly detailing "what forms needed to be filled out and who they needed to contact" from each project team, making the process welcoming and clear, according to Wayne.
The Outcome: The LBEs who attended – a mix of specialists and small GCs – are now active candidates. This process, driven by Sharla's promotional efforts, directly feeds a pipeline of qualified, local firms into the project.
One example of the outcomes achieved by these events is Webcor’s hire of an LBE who attended the first outreach event. Their specialty: San Francisco’s Contracts Monitoring Division (CMD), which oversees companies’ compliance with LBE requirements.
Wayne expects several of the LBEs that attended the September 11 event to wind up working on the West Field Garage project.
This model exemplifies the spirit of Construction Inclusion Week. By actively developing and connecting with the local marketplace, firms ensure a more resilient supply chain and address the systemic barriers that often sideline smaller, diverse businesses. This isn't just a regulatory mandate; it is a strategic imperative that strengthens the company, the project, and the community.
