Our Experience

Since its founding over ten years ago, GWFA has provided public outreach and communications support for planning, design, construction, and post-construction of public transportation infrastructure projects. And we have assisted with developing messaging and event planning for a public utility agency’s commercial customer education program.

We have conducted equity impact reviews of a government rates and fees study, and a public facility improvements project.

The firm has provided strategic advice and outreach assistance for increasing diversity, and inclusion of small, minority, and women-owned businesses in government funded projects.

GWFA has also advised and assisted with planning, evaluating, and securing design documents and permits for small scale real property development. And we have advised and assisted with business development, community relations, and government relations for small businesses, mostly immigrant owned.

Recent Projects

Creating Communications, Making Connections

Communications, Community Outreach and Engagement Campaigns

King County Metro | RapidRide H Line
(May 2021 through fall 2022)

GWFA is responsible for providing community outreach and communications support for a major transit route upgrade through an 8-mile corridor traversing through the City of Seattle, King County, and the City of Burien. The firm is part of the construction management team, and is coordinating with King County Metro and the design phase outreach consultant to build upon previous community engagement efforts. GWFA is providing community outreach and engagement with an equity and social justice lens. The impacted communities are diverse ethnically, and language-wise. We are planning and delivering construction notices to residents and businesses along the project corridor.

Seattle Department of Transportation | SDOT
Project Delivery Outreach On-call
(Ongoing since 2021)

GWFA is responsible for providing and supporting community outreach planning and engagement for transit and transportation-related capital improvement projects of varying scopes and sizes in Seattle neighborhoods.

SDOT | 23 rd Avenue – Route 48 – Public Information Campaign
(September 2019 to January 2020)

GWFA, as consultant to SDOT, provided targeted outreach to seniors, churches, and community groups in Seattle’s Central District. Also conducted outreach to community organizations outside of the Central Area that represented communities of color and had constituents that were possible Route 48 transit riders. Outreach focused on raising awareness of post construction roadway and transit improvements and included promoting use of Transit Route 48. This effort was part of an overall SDOT 23 rd Avenue – Route 48 TDM marketing and public information campaign. GWFA outreach work included in-person meetings with community organizations and church pastors and/or other leaders, email notifications, phone calls, and poster and postcard flyer distribution. GWFA coordinated efforts with communication consultant for larger campaign and provided general advice on marketing strategy and materials. Orca cards delivered to churches who participated in briefings as part of transit ridership promotion and to incentivize transit ridership. Churches engaged included several predominately African American congregations and a predominately Japanese American congregation.

SDOT | East Marginal Way Multi-Modal Transportation Corridor Improvement Project
(May 2015 to May 2017)

GWFA as a subconsultant, assisted lead communications consultant in preparing and implementing public involvement plan for preliminary planning and design phase. Provided community outreach and communications support for data collection and early design phase workshops through dissemination of project information materials, direct mail brochure, and email communications. Conducted outreach to biking and walking advocacy groups, as well as to the freight community. Planned, coordinated, advertised, and managed logistics for a kick-off design workshop/transportation forum jointly hosted by SDOT and stakeholder organizations that included participation of a city council member and SDOT department director. Prepared summary report of public outreach efforts for Existing Conditions Study. Following development of design options, provided community outreach and engagement support for promotion of an online survey and online open house, and conducted door-to-door survey/stakeholder interviews to seek input on design options. Prepared written report on results of door-to-door survey.

SDOT | West Duwamish Trail Project
(June 2014 to March 2015)

GWFA, as a subcontractor to Construction Contractor, provided construction communications support. Prepared an updated community outreach and communications plan; prepared public informational materials, and conducted weekly door-to-door outreach, distributing flyers and construction alerts, posting notices, holding drop-in sessions, taking photos of construction progress at multiple locations on a weekly basis; assisted SDOT with preparing news releases/traffic alerts; also provided SDOT with weekly information to post website updates. Some outreach conducted to reach larger community and ethnic groups. Arranged for attending and participating in community events (i.e., prepared materials for handout, attended and staffed events, set up and took down displays and materials, prepared written summary of interactions with event attendees). Some materials included translated information. Prepared and/or coordinated correspondence to address concerns of project area residents and businesses with construction impacts; maintained weekly mailing lists and correspondence tracking database. Helped resolve construction impacts effecting operation of some project area businesses. Services provided in industrial and residential area in South Park neighborhood in Seattle.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

WSDOT| I-405 Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes| Design-Build Project
(Contracted September 2020 through 2022)

GWFA is responsible for providing DBE community liaison services for the Contractor (Flatiron-Lane JV) and its diversity and inclusion team. In that role, the GWFA Principal, George Frost, is responsible for promoting the project and subcontracting opportunities to a diverse business community (minority, women, veteran, small business owners). He is involved in ongoing efforts to engage the diverse business community in a variety of ways, including through direct contact and through events and activities of the business resource organizations that support them. In the short time he has been on the project, he has contributed to increasing the number of diverse businesses aware of subcontracting opportunities for this $705 Million project. 

Seattle City Light/ Mill Pond Dam Removal & Habitat Restoration Design-Build Project| Pend Oreille County, WA
(June 2015 to June 2019)

GWFA advised out-of-state Prime Contractor (Envirocon, Inc.) on preparation of WMBE Inclusion Plan for submitting design-build bid. Conducted research of potential subcontractors/suppliers and provided recommended lists to prime contractor. Assisted in conducting outreach to targeted WMBE firms. After Contractor successful in winning bid, recommended a subcontractor mentorship strategy and prepared social equity plan for implementation of the WMBE Inclusion Plan submitted at bidding. Provided ongoing assistance to Contractor in conducting outreach and maintaining relationships with WMBE firms and organizations in case additional subcontracting was needed. 

WSDOT/Mentor Protégé Program, Program Planning, and Implementation| Seattle, WA
(February 2018 to September 2018)

GWFA served as a subconsultant to Thor Consulting. Assisted in conducting outreach to a diverse construction and consultant contracting community (primes and subs); assisted with conducting needs/capability assessments of potential program participants, including interviews; assisted in marketing the program and providing website design, development, and hosting; assisted in overall program planning, participant evaluations and mentor-protégé match making. 

Planning, Evaluating, and Implementing Community Development

Equity Impact Reviews

King County| Broad Street Substation Improvements Project| Seattle, WA
(September 2020 to Present)

GWFA as subconsultant to Gannett Fleming is responsible for conducting an equity and social justice (ESJ) assessment, preparing an associated action plan for mitigating ESJ impacts, and providing sustainability services.

King County Environmental Health Services (EHS)| Rate Study
(January 2019 to July 2019)

GWFA as subconsultant to MGT Consulting was responsible for supporting Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) impact assessment during rate study process. Early in process, GWFA advised King County on potential strategies for conducting outreach to ESJ communities. GWFA used King County ESJ Assessment Tool, demographic data, and other means to accomplish work. Provided significant input into preparation of ESJ Assessment and Action Plan document. 

Small Business Assistance

Small Businesses | Immigrant-owned and Minority-owned 

Counseling, mentoring, marketing and communications, government relations, community relations, tenant-owner relations, bank relations, English language tutoring. Business types served: life coaching, construction, consulting, personal services, real estate development.

Real Property Development Assistance

  • Project Management for planning and design phases
  • Land use planning
  • Feasibility studies