Boston – The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) board this month authorized the agency to reissue Request for Proposals (RFPs) for three separate developments on BPDA-owned property which have not sufficiently outlined plans to further the agency’s mission regarding diversity and inclusion. The three developments are Building 108 in the Charlestown Navy Yard, 142 Shawmut Avenue in the South End, and Charlestown Main Street. This vote builds on the BPDA’s and city of Boston’s ongoing commitment to ensure that developments on agency-owned property advance equity and inclusion in Boston.
While the proposals for these developments included sufficient design and programmatic elements, the diversity and inclusion plans lacked specific, well documented measures to advance economic opportunities for people of color and women in real estate development and related fields. The agency has encouraged all proponents to re-submit their proposals with robust diversity and inclusion commitments. Additionally, the updated Diversity and Inclusion Plan will comprise 25% of the BPDA’s comparative evaluation of each proposal submitted.
At the same time, the city of Boston and BPDA are working to update the language in RFPs for public land to provide greater clarity on the expectations for submissions, further prioritize diversity and inclusions during the selection process, and strengthen the city’s and the BPDA’s commitment to outcomes which enhance equity.
In 2018, Mayor Walsh committed the BPDA and the city of Boston to including a Diversity and Inclusion evaluation criterion in all real estate disposition RFPs, which requires proponents to include a Diversity and Inclusion Plan to outline their commitments to including M/WBEs in all aspects of their development.
