Show 8F Sunday BUSINESS Way 7 1995 Standard-Examine- r Pentagon latest target 9 Pentagon oOkijIs acknowledge lhal rauil su asides in consiruilion ars excessive in some places Bui ihev sac ibes arc imne lo case the problem and that examples of imbalances at certain facilities arc Affirmative-actio- n foes say 5 rule very unfair compensated !r h percentages elsewhere more-mode- By PAUL M BARRETT The W Street journal As the assault on programs escalates foes of miarc training their nority sights on the Pentagon The target is the military’s $12 billion annual budget for construction projects The Defense Department has a goal mandated by ( ongress of seeing that minority-owne- d businesses receive 5 percent of its overall spending The construction contracts arc being used to hit that 5 percent level and opponents say an unfair number of the jobs arc reserved for minority companies At some military bases Pentagon records show 50 percent or more of the construction dollars arc set aside for small minority-owne- d companies At Andrews Air Force Base near Washington the figure last year was 75 percent at Anniston Army Depot in Anniston Ala it was 52 percent Although exceptions rather than the rule these imbalances occur of-ten and widely enough to fuel intense resentment “We are being discriminated against as a white Anglo-Saxo- small minority firms were awarded percent of the military's construction work by means of last year and an additional 5 1 affirmalivc-ac-tio- n 1 set-asid- cs percent through competitive bid- ding Advocates for minority contractors say formal measures are still needed to ensure that nonwhiles get a fair share of the military’s business “If a legitimate program isn’t working in one area you make it work” says Samuel Carradinc executive director of the National Association of Minority Contractors There is broad agreement — including among minority advocates — on why military construction arc out of whack The Pentagon buys multibillion-dolla- r batches of jets tanks and missiles from large defense contractors In order to hit its overall 5 percent scl-asid- cs set-asid- es business” declares n Fdward Angel president of All Seasons Construction Inc in Shreveport La As part of a continuing GOP review of federal affirmative action the Senate Small Business Committee last month heard testimony that No money down no payments and no interest until October 1995 all construction awards at Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreve- port were set aside for minorities in 1994 st Overall goal the Pentagon earmarks more lor minorities in areas like construction landscaping clothing and fuel supplies “ke just meet the (5 percent) goal now we need all the crumbs and the cream and cvervthing" to continue doing so says Daniel Gill director of the Pentagon's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Some contractors benefiting from minority preference programs insist the problems have been blown out of proportion “These aren't handouts or giveaways” says Elizabeth Torres Pohl chief executive of TC Enterprises Inc a general contractor in Albuquerque N M Ms Pohl who is of Hispanic descent says that to make her company qualify for military construction projects she had to bid for jobs competitively and “establish my capability just like everyone else” She says she has gotten some military contracts by means of minority but she notes that huge contractors sometimes enjoy similar noncompetitive “solcsourcc” The Clinton administration' which is conducting its own evalua- tion of affirmative action is considering the situation at Barksdale and other military facilities - Honda 45hp OHV engine Easy-sta- rt “I’m not sure we can fix it short of removing the basic requirement of- having in the first place” warns Louisiana Republican Rep Jim McCrcry who has been getting pressure from his district’s lotal chapter of the predominantly white Associated General Contractors of America Part of the reason white builders arc feeling so embattled now is that in 1989 Congress killed a program that helped small contractors regardless of their race to ob- model durable resilient Xenoy® deck 24 bushel capacity grass bag Blade brake clutch Converts to mulch or discharge with optional kits 21" set-asid- es set-asi- de tain military jobs When the Pentagon stepped up its racial efforts in the 1990s many white builders felt the impact “I’m hopping mad about it” says Michael Dykes who helps run Dykes Construction Corp in Oxnard Calif which has done building work at naval bases for 15 years “I go to the room” where projects arc posted Mr Dykes recounts “and it’s never less than 50 percent minority (The preferences refer to "socially and economically disadvantaged” businesses but in pracbid-boa- almost always firms) minority-owne- d benefit Your Authorized Full Service Dealer Power Equipment WILKINSON SUPPLY 3021 Grant Ave Nothing’s easier NEWGATE HONDA rd set-asid- tice HONDA Behind Newgate Mall WILKINS SALES & RENTAL 75 N 500 W Brigham National Financing is available oo approved credit vn the Hooda Power Equipment MasterCard credit card issued by Dal Bank No finance charges if paid m full by October 4 1995 Finance charges accrue from date of purchase but will not be die APR wm 1&40V full by October 4 1995 The interest rale may vtrjt As of charged tf purchase pnee is paid Tha ofler i good oo purchase made through June 30 1995 See your partiapating Hooda Dealer for detaflt For optimum performance and aafety please read the owner's manual before operaor-- your Hooda Power Equipment C 1995 American Hooda Motor Co Inc 1195 o No 0 I) 0 IS (§) ®uyi £ ft §MUJ ftG mg og (§ G points fees No (£)II 0 11 (6 0 00 li ft Q IB 00 a ($ & G (§yyi o o ft q G (JD ($fP0 0($l) Q W 0 D 00 § ip o 11 n A © ii m The it xs $ MW t 4 everyone we : — j '£$ Mi II ' iml l‘ r) II m llltllli- - 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