Client: PSG (Prime contractor for Seattle Convention Center)
Sector: CM/TPA Infrastructure / Public Works
Challenge: The $2 billion addition to the Seattle Convention Center (SCC)—a 1.5 million-square-foot expansion in downtown Seattle—required far more than traditional project management. As a large, high-profile public infrastructure investment, the project carried ambitious goals for workforce inclusion, apprenticeship utilization, and equitable contracting with women- and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBEs). Meeting these targets while navigating multiple stakeholders, trades, and contractor tiers posed significant operational and compliance challenges.
IP’s Role: As the third-party PLA administrator for the Seattle Convention Center Addition (SCCA), Intelligent Partnerships played a pivotal role in both field-level implementation and strategic oversight. IP’s responsibilities included:
- Providing advisory services in the design of the Project Labor Agreement (PLA)
- Delivering education and support to prime and subcontractors on meeting workforce and WMBE goals
- Creating and managing compliance reporting systems to track outcomes
- Engaging job readiness programs and community partners to expand access to construction careers
- Supporting boardroom-level accountability through performance reporting and stakeholder alignment
Pillars Delivered:
- Advisory Services: PLA policy design, stakeholder education, contractor support
- Compliance Delivery: Real-time tracking of WMBE and apprenticeship targets, audit-ready documentation
Outcomes:
The project not only achieved its goals—it surpassed them:
- 34% of apprentice hours performed by minority workers (goal: 15%)
- 12% of apprentice hours performed by women (goal: 8%)
- Over 1 million hours of registered apprenticeship utilization validated
- Ongoing community and contractor engagement aligned to equity targets
This success set a new regional benchmark for how labor agreements and infrastructure investments can drive meaningful equity outcomes when backed by strong compliance systems and third-party expertise.
How Others Can Use This:
Public agencies and large developers can replicate this model to integrate labor equity goals into major capital projects through strategic third-party PLA administration.