OCII urges SFUSD to adopt SBE‑style contracting goals for Mission Bay school project

The Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure on March 21 adopted Resolution No. 6‑2023 urging the San Francisco Unified School District to adopt contracting goals and preferences similar to OCII’s Small Business Enterprise (SBE) policy for the Mission Bay school project.

Mark Slutskin, Mission Bay project manager, explained the distinction the commission sought to address: OCII’s SBE policy (with a stated 50% goal) applies to the schoolyard that OCII is funding, while SFUSD intends to follow its own contracting policy for the school building. Slutskin said the district and its design‑builder McCarthy Construction agreed to outreach to priority ZIP codes but had not adopted OCII’s SBE policy for the building component. In response to commissioner questions, staff said the schoolyard funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis and OCII cannot force SFUSD to adopt its contracting rules; if the district declines, the master developer (Fossil) would remain responsible for building the yard under existing agreements.

Commissioners expressed support for using public funds to maximize local hiring and small‑business participation. The urging resolution was moved, seconded and approved by roll call (4 ayes, 1 absent).