Established February 14, 2019; Disbanded June 9, 2022; Re-established April 13, 2023
Upcoming meetings
Committee members
Co-Chairs: Lekha Fernandes, Santosh Kuruvilla, Irene Reyes
- Robert Blain, Benton County
- Vacant, formally held by MBDA
- Lekha Fernandes, OMWBE, Chair
- Bobby Forch, CPARB DBE Representative
- Diane Gard, WSDOT OEO
- Shelly Henderson, Mukilteo School Dist. (K-12 Schools)
- Aleanna Kondelis, Hill International
- Santosh Kuruvilla, Exeltech (Engineers), Co-Chair
- Marissa Woodard-Nave, Forma Construction (GC)
- Brenda Nnambi, Sound Transit
- Irene Reyes, Excel Supply Company, Co-Chair
- Cathy Robinson, University of WA (was City Rep)
- John Salinas II, Specialty Contractors
- Young Sang Song, Song Consulting
- Chip Tull, Hoffman Construction
- Jerry Vanderwood, AGC
- Olivia Yang, WA State University
- Heather Munden, Port of Seattle
- Bob Armstead, Minority Business Representative
- Frank Lemos, Minority Business Representative
- Vacant, DES
- Vacant, general contractor
Updated Dec. 23, 2025
Purpose:
Focus efforts around the following:
- Utilize Strategies from the BE/DBI Report to inform potential Legislative Changes.
- Create consistency in contract language to reduce barriers in policy and eventually statute.
- Evaluate and advocate to bring forth opportunities for firms to successfully compete and build capacity.
- Identify metrics for measuring accountability.
Committee resources:
Upcoming meetings
Meetings to occur the third Wednesday of every month from 1:30 - 3 p.m.
- Jan. 21, 2026
- Feb. 18, 2026
- March 18, 2026
- April 15, 2026
- May 20, 2026
- June 17, 2026
BE/DBI Reports to the Legislature
2024
2022
- BE/DBI Report Reference Material
-
- 4.1 BEDBI Matrix 8/23/2021
- 4.2 DBDEI Barrier Statements Compiled (Rev3)
- 5.0 BE/DBI Survey Results 3/3/2022
- 7.1 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 4/1/2021
- 7.2 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 5/28/2021
- 7.3 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 6/25/2021
- 7.4 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 7/23/2021
- 7.5 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 8/27/2021
- 7.6 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 9/24/2021
- 7.7 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 10/22/2021
- 7.8 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 10/29/2021
- 7.9 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 11/19/2021
- 7.10 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 12/17/2021
- 7.11 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 1/28/2022
- 7.12 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 2/25/2022
- 7.13 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 3/4/2022
- 7.14 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 3/25/2022
- 7.15 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 4/1/2022
- 7.16 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 4/22/2022
- 7.17 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 5/6/2022
- 7.18 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 5/27/2022
- 7.19 BE/DBI Committee Minutes 6/3/2022
- 8.0 Compiled BE/DBI Report Feedback
- 14.4 PEAR One-Pager 3/21/22
- 16.2 Mentor-Protege Capacity Building Mentorship Program (CBMP) Best Practices 10.4 MBDA
- 16.3 CBMP C3-C4 Survey Report 2021-2022
- 16.4 WA Small Business Resource Guide