FAQs
Why is the County conducting this Study?
Loudoun County (the County) is committed to ensuring that its contracting and procurement practices provide fair access, maximizes competition and economic empowerment for all businesses, including small, minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. By analyzing data on contracts, subcontracts, availability of local businesses, and by listening directly to business owners, the County can identify if study findings indicate barriers to competition. If barriers are identified, the County will make data-driven decisions to remove such barriers. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the County’s contracting process is open, transparent, and fosters economic empowerment for all businesses.
What is a Disparity Study?
Disparity studies are used to determine whether there is disparity between the use of minority women, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses and the availability of those firms in the market area. Through the collection of qualitative data, a disparity study seeks to understand the effects of race, ethnicity, and gender on a business’s ability to do business in the marketplace – both public and private sectors.
What is quantitative data?
Quantitative data is numerical, measurable, and other quantifiable information that is analyzed using mathematical and statistical modeling. Among other things, the quantitative analyses in a disparity study will include a comparison of the availability and utilization of minority-, women-, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses in the marketplace.
What is qualitative data?
Qualitative data is information that business owners provide about their actual experiences on the effects of race and gender on their ability to do or attempt to do business with the County, with prime contractors/vendors, and in the private sector. Qualitative data helps explain and lend credence to the statistical findings of the disparity study. It also helps identify whether disparate treatment or impact prevents firms from participating in contracts.
Why is it important that business owners participate in the Study?
Business owners that do business, or want to do business, in the County’s marketplace are impacted by the policies, procedures, and guidelines. Participation in this Study allows business owners to provide first-person accounts of their experiences in the marketplace. Input from the business community may help the Study better understand whether disparate treatment or impact poses barriers for businesses and, if so, how best to eliminate that disparate treatment or impact and remedy its effects.
How can I provide my experiences doing business, or attempting to do business, in the Loudoun County marketplace?
There are many options for which a firm can provide their experiences.
- A firm can complete the Study Contact Form and MGT will reach out to gather more detailed information regarding the experiences.
- A firm can also leave more detailed experience information in the Comments Section
- A firm can contact us directly at [email protected].
What will the County do with the findings of this Study?
The County will be presented with the study’s findings to determine whether and to what extent they may use race- and/or gender-neutral and race- and/or gender-conscious remedial measures, if appropriate.