1N00 Underrepresentations and Concentrations

When examining the organizational profile, Investigators look for evidence of concentration and underrepresentation, as such evidence could indicate that women, for instance, are steered into lower-paying positions.

a. Concentration. The term concentration refers to any job titles where there are significantly higher representations of a minority group or women than would be expected in consideration of their overall representation in the contractor’s workforce or in a relevant unit of that workforce.

b. Underrepresentation. The term underrepresentation is the opposite of “concentration.” It exists when a minority group or women are found in a particular department, job group or job title in numbers significantly lower than would be expected in light of their overall representation in the contractor’s workforce or in a relevant unit of that workforce.

It is important to note that the identification of a concentration or underrepresentation does not mean that there is discrimination. It is only an indicator that further investigation is warranted. Investigators must document areas of underrepresentation and concentration in CMS and investigate further.