"Tribes, by not enforcing, or having their Tribal Employment Rights Offices enforce Indian preference with regard to any contract for procurement of goods and services purchased by their casino, resort, hotel or retail establishments, are forgoing an opportunity to create thousands of jobs for their people. They are also forgoing the opportunity for training and apprentice positions by not requiring their business entities to adhere to Indian preference.

I recently attended a PACT Procurement Conference at the Tulalip reservation in western Washington. The event was well-attended by various government agencies that procure goods and services in the Puget Sound area and elsewhere. Area TERO directors as well as leadership of the Council for Tribal Employment Rights attended.

One session that piqued my interest was a panel of TERO officers, SBA representatives, a union representative and federal procurement officials. One TERO director discussed opportunities through not only union apprentice programs but also through TERO “compliance plans” for employment and apprenticeships. These plans require contractors working on, or primarily on, reservations to hire a certain number of Indian preference workers and to subcontract with available Indian- owned or majority owned firms, especially local firms owned by tribal members.

I asked him and the other TERO directors on the panel if the same standards applied to contractors from which goods and services were procured for the casino and other business entities owned by the tribe. One TERO director said yes, we do give preference to Indian owned procurement sources – “we have them prequalify and get on the Indian preference list.” I then asked what the preference is. The director said that they have a “chance” to bid. I asked if the preference was defined as a percentage “upward“ variance in pricing, even if their bid was 5 percent or 10 percent over the price of the next highest non-Indian preference bid. She said no, that a percentage was not used, to her knowledge."

Get the Story:
Harold Monteau: Tribes missing opportunity for thousands of jobs (Indian Country Today 9/24)