Gilbert Buchanan, Ma Email & Phone Number

Buchanan & Associates is a full-service SBA Award-winning supplier diversity professional management consulting firm that provides DBE/SBE diversity program management, labor compliance, contract compliance, business infrastructure planning and development to small businesses as well as supplier diversity contract providers. We provide hands-on mentorship program development & management; business coaching; small business support, and technical assistance to prime contractors and subcontractors… Show more Buchanan & Associates is a full-service SBA Award-winning supplier diversity professional management consulting firm that provides DBE/SBE diversity program management, labor compliance, contract compliance, business infrastructure planning and development to small businesses as well as supplier diversity contract providers. We provide hands-on mentorship program development & management; business coaching; small business support, and technical assistance to prime contractors and subcontractors alike. DBE/SBE Program Monitoring, Contract Compliance, Labor Compliance Project Oversight, Business Plan Writing; Business Development; Small Business & Minority Certification Preparation; SBA 8(a) Certification Application Preparation; Business Outreach; Community Outreach; Business Infrastructure Development; Business Development; Workshop/Seminar Facilitation; Employee Handbook; Operating Procedures; Safety Plan Development - Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) Development.By providing management support, customized training, and business infrastructure development services to business owners, the consultants at Buchanan & Associates are able to assist firms in their efforts to venture into the forefront of their respective industry. This enables firms to achieve a greater level of market share and sustainability. Show less

▪ Conducting project “kick-off” meetings with the Prime’s representatives and DBE/SBE subcontractors to explain the Authority’s Labor Compliance and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation programs guidelines and responsibilities under the contract.▪ Providing hands-on guidance to DBE/SBE subcontractors as well as primes to ensure that they can competently master the compliance requirements.▪ Reviewing contractors' weekly certified payroll submittals… Show more ▪ Conducting project “kick-off” meetings with the Prime’s representatives and DBE/SBE subcontractors to explain the Authority’s Labor Compliance and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation programs guidelines and responsibilities under the contract.▪ Providing hands-on guidance to DBE/SBE subcontractors as well as primes to ensure that they can competently master the compliance requirements.▪ Reviewing contractors' weekly certified payroll submittals for accuracy and compliance, as well as conducting spot audits to ensure labor compliance among primes and all of their subcontractors.▪ Conducted Commercial Useful Function reviews with Subcontractors, and ensure prime are properly assigning scope of work responsibilities to the appropriate subcontractors. ▪ Providing contractor education and training to project subcontractors with regard to the DIR’s prevailing wage requirements, safety plan requirements (IIPP), EMRs, and other importance Record-keeping activities. ▪ Ensured required DBE/SBE compliance documents are submitted to the Authority within the specified timeframe after Notice-to-Proceed is issued, and recommend penalties to repeat offenders.▪ Provided contract compliance and prompt payment support to the DBE/SBE subcontractors on the project throughout the life of the project. ▪ Conducting spot audits on CPR submittals by primes to the Authority in order to ensure accuracy, completeness, and adherence to Labor Code 1770 - 1880 requirements.▪ Reviewed DBE/SBE monthly reporting data to ensure compliance wit the Owner's requirements and issue discrepancy and non-compliance notices to Primes when necessary. ▪ Preparing reconciliation and close-out audits and Ad Hoc reports at the completion of the project on DBE/SBE participation and discuss how the mentorship program has benefitted the DBEs throughout the project. Show less

Small Business Program

1. Developed strategies and implemented plans to recruit professional services and construction contractors to bid LACCD projects; performed outreach functions to develop qualified lists of interested L/S/E/DVBE subcontractors for participation in the District's Sustainable Building Program; conducted presentation and delivered contract provider's contract objectives at pre-construction kick-off meetings, provided notification to participants on how to locate bidding opportunities, and… Show more 1. Developed strategies and implemented plans to recruit professional services and construction contractors to bid LACCD projects; performed outreach functions to develop qualified lists of interested L/S/E/DVBE subcontractors for participation in the District's Sustainable Building Program; conducted presentation and delivered contract provider's contract objectives at pre-construction kick-off meetings, provided notification to participants on how to locate bidding opportunities, and understand bid documents; coordinated operating strategies with Campus Project Managers (CPMs) to promote upcoming projects while maximizing the number of competitive bidders on large-scale projects; developed, evaluated, and scored Small Business Outreach Plans for LACCD submitted by large prime contractors as part of their Design-Build proposals.2. Conducted contract compliance audits for this client by evaluating prime contractors' compliance with public works contracting requirements while ensuring that subcontractors receive prompt payments in a timely manner; developed Good Faith Efforts policy for the District; reviewed bids to ensure prime contractors performed 10-Point Good Faith Efforts procedure to include qualified L/S/E/DVBEs on their teams; conducted public presentations for the Sustainable Building Bond-Funded program to trade associations; generated monthly/quarterly reports for presentation to the District Board of Trustees and the District Citizen's Oversight Committee regarding small business participation statistics, overall outreach achievement, and public concerns. Show less

▪ Planned, managed, and taught weekly construction Boot Camp for licensed contractors assisting them in becoming contract-ready and obtaining formal and informal bidding opportunities.▪ Monitored SBE participation on the District's $21 Billion school construction program.▪ Served as Administrative Review Panel Member responsible for reviewing and rendering decisions on contractors’ non-compliance with the District’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR) threshold of under 1.5.▪… Show more ▪ Planned, managed, and taught weekly construction Boot Camp for licensed contractors assisting them in becoming contract-ready and obtaining formal and informal bidding opportunities.▪ Monitored SBE participation on the District's $21 Billion school construction program.▪ Served as Administrative Review Panel Member responsible for reviewing and rendering decisions on contractors’ non-compliance with the District’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR) threshold of under 1.5.▪ Conducted pre-bid, pre-proposal, and post award conferences to inform Primes and Subcontractors of the construction program’s compliance requirements. ▪ Generated quarterly SBE Utilization reports for budgetary and district-wide decision-making purposes used by the School Board of Education (BOE). Show less

▪ Supervising the contracting activities of more than 140 construction and professional services contracts.▪ Providing contract compliance and labor compliance reviews of critical reporting documents submitted by primes. ▪ Serving on re-consideration hearings' panel on behalf of the Authority in order to ascertain GFE compliance requirements are closely followed by primes . ▪ Ensuring required DBE/SBE compliance documents are submitted to the Authority within the… Show more ▪ Supervising the contracting activities of more than 140 construction and professional services contracts.▪ Providing contract compliance and labor compliance reviews of critical reporting documents submitted by primes. ▪ Serving on re-consideration hearings' panel on behalf of the Authority in order to ascertain GFE compliance requirements are closely followed by primes . ▪ Ensuring required DBE/SBE compliance documents are submitted to the Authority within the specified timeframe after Notice-to-Proceed is issued, and recommend penalties to repeat offenders.▪ Providing contract compliance and prompt payment support to the DBE/SBE subcontractors on the project throughout the life of the project. ▪ Conducting spot audits on CPR submittals by primes to the Authority in order to ensure accuracy, completeness, and adherence to Labor Code 1770 - 1880 requirements.▪ Reviewing DBE/SBE monthly reporting data to ensure compliance with the Owner's requirements and issue discrepancy and non-compliance notices to Primes when necessary. ▪ Preparing reconciliation and close-out audit reports at the completion of the project on DBE/SBE participation and discuss how the mentorship program has benefitted the DBEs throughout the project. Show less

Master'S Degree, Organizational Development - Business Administration

Organizational Development; Change Management; Value Engineering

Bachelor'S Degree, Human Services

Activities and Societies: * Graduated Magna Gum Laude, 1995