Granite Construction, a prominent national heavy civil prime contractor, holds a significant presence in the Portland metro area and the wider Pacific Northwest region. Their expertise lies in transportation-related projects, encompassing the construction of public roadways, utility enhancements, airport runways and taxiways, rail facilities, and environmental improvement initiatives.
Working closely with local municipalities in the Portland area and the transportation departments of Oregon and Washington, Granite undertakes a range of projects. Despite being a large contractor involved in sizable ventures, many of their local projects are smaller in scale, often bidding on projects valued at less than $1 million. 
Paul Harding, Granite’s Western Oregon/SW Washington area manager, explained their decision to partner with NAMC-OR, stating, “We chose to partner with NAMC-OR to promote diversity and inclusion in our local area and to provide workforce and business opportunities for historically underutilized businesses that are members of NAMC.”
Granite’s commitment to fostering economic opportunities and expanding the capacity of local contractors, particularly those owned by individuals from marginalized communities, led them to join forces with NAMC-OR. Through this partnership, Granite supports NAMC-OR by consistently offering business opportunities to its members, providing valuable training and mentorship, and actively promoting the organization within the construction community to enhance its visibility.
Harding highlighted the mutual benefits of the partnership, including forging new business relationships between Granite and other NAMC-OR members, creating increased business prospects for certified firms associated with NAMC, and facilitating mentoring opportunities to enhance technical and business expertise among certified firms. Ultimately, these collaborative efforts will contribute to achieving project contracting diversity and workforce diversity goals.
One ongoing project that showcases Granite’s engagement is the Latourell Creek Bridge project for Multnomah County.