Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program
The Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training Program (LEAP) provides local residents opportunities to access training and employment on City-funded public work and improvement projects. LEAP aims to level the playing field with training, resources, and employment opportunities so that more citizens can earn better wages.
LEAP’s success depends upon the consistent involvement of the trade community. The coordinator works closely with contractors and contractor associations, labor, community-based organizations, citizens, educational institutions, public agencies, and City staff to help achieve LEAP’s mission.
The trade community also serves a valuable oversight role. The LEAP Advisory Committee (LAC) keeps the program on track with ongoing evaluation and performance monitoring. LAC members include representatives from labor, non-union contractors, Associated General Contractors, community-based organizations, community and technical colleges, Tacoma School District, Youth Building Tacoma, Pierce County, and City of Tacoma.
LEAP is accountable to Tacoma’s residents. A biennial report sent to the City Manager, Director of Public Utilities, City Council and Public Utility Board reports on the program’s progress.
LEAP’s Mission: To provide residents of Tacoma, or residents of economically distressed areas of the Tacoma Public Utilities service areas, with training and support services necessary to complete apprenticeship requirements that lead to family-wage jobs in the building and construction trades.
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On qualifying public work and improvement projects, the mandatory program requires contractors or service providers to employ City of Tacoma residents, residents from Economically Distressed Areas of the Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) Service Area. These can be journey workers and/or registered apprentices enrolled in a Washington State Apprenticeship Council-approved Apprenticeship Program. 15% of the project labor hours must be performed by those employees.
For larger projects that cost more than $1,000,000, there is an additional 15% apprentice utilization requirement. these registered apprentices must live within the Tacoma Public Utilities Service Area. Contractors may use a registered apprentice to satisfy both requirements at the same time if they live in the City of Tacoma or the Economically Distressed Areas noted above.
The City requires prime contractors to recruit and hire SAC’s and/or city of Tacoma residents, see exception below. Contractors present their Prime Contractor LEAP Utilization Plan for meeting the workforce utilization requirement(s) at a pre-construction meeting.
The Contractor can use subcontractor hours toward meeting the requirement and the contractor may be asked to provide a LEAP Employee Verification Form (LEVF) for every person from whom the contractor will claim credit. Contractors who do not meet the requirement are assessed an amount for each hour that is not achieved. The City of Tacoma may waive the penalty if in the best interest of the City.
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Local Employee Requirements Apply To:
- Civil projects over $250,000 (water main, sewer, street pavement, etc.)
- Building projects over $750,000 (Convention Center, Police Station, etc.)
- Service contracts relating to a public work or improvement that use labor at a City site such as the City’s Annual Flagging Contract
Apprentice Utilization Requirements Apply To:
- Civil or Building projects over $1,000,000
- Service contracts relating to a public work or improvement that use labor at a City site such as the City’s Annual Flagging Contract over $1,000,000
LEAP Advisory Committee
The Local Employment and Apprenticeship Program (LEAP) Advisory Committee (LAC) was also established by Council resolution in 1997 to review the program and recommend policy changes as appropriate. Voting members are appointed by the City Manager and the Director of Public Utilities. They represent the constituency groups of residents of Tacoma, construction companies doing business with Tacoma, members of Organized Labor, Community-Based Organizations, City Staff, and educational institutions. To be considered for appointment to the committee as a voting member, please complete the application form.
The LAC meets quarterly to monitor program performance to provide oversight on an ongoing basis and is governed with bylaws that were initially adopted in 2012. The meetings are open to the public and are hybrid. The in-person meeting takes place at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, Room 243, Tacoma, WA 98402 and virtually on Zoom from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of January, April, July, and October.