At the end of 1982, Mayor created the Office of Equal Opportunity to replace the after an investigation revealed internal conflicts, unqualified staff, and office supplies being used for personal work. A two-year study carried out by the Indiana Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights also criticized Indianapolis city government for not making enough progress to provide equal opportunities under . The responsibility for the new Office of Equal Opportunity fell within the city’s Legal Division. Hudnut organized the office to provide “a stronger, more coherent implementation of affirmative action.”
The director of the new office, Martha Bullock, also served as the city’s affirmative action officer and was advised by a newly created Equal Opportunity Advisory Board. The division originally was arranged into four committees: internal employment practices, contract compliance, accessibility for individuals with disabilities, and complaint adjudication.
The Equal Opportunity Advisory Board now oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity and the Office of Minority and Women Business Development. The mayor or City-County Council appoints board members. The Equal Opportunity Advisory Board standing committees have been reorganized to include the Contract Compliance Committee, an Investigation Panel, and a Complaint Adjudication Committee.
The Office of Minority and Women Business Development provides services to businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and people with ADA disabilities. The agency assists businesses with finding contract opportunities with the city, county, municipal, and privately funded projects. It also provides educational resources and certifies companies as minority, women, veteran, or disability-owned business enterprises.
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