Minority Reports

Attention State Agencies

Tracking Minority and Women Owned Business expenditure? Our Contracts module features a comprehensive array of MWBE requirement specifications that exports to an Excel spreadsheet for reporting and analytical purposes.

Minority Reporting Requirement

Executive Law Article 15-A (§§ 310-317) governs requirements for the participation of minority- and women-owned business enterprises (“MWBEs”), minority group members and women in New York State contracting. The objective of Article 15-A is to promote equality of economic opportunities for MWBEs, minority group members and women, and to eliminate barriers to their participation in state contracting.

The Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development (“DMWBD” or the “Division”) oversees the statewide MWBE program operated by “state agencies” (which includes, inter alia, state agencies and public authorities) as defined by Article 15-A. The Division is charged with three primary functions: (1) to encourage and assist state agencies that are engaged in contracting activities to award a fair share of state contracts to MWBEs; (2) to review applications by businesses seeking certification as an MWBE and to maintain a directory of certified MWBEs; and (3) to promote the business development of MWBEs through education and outreach to agencies and MWBEs.

New York State is leading the way

Implementing a State of the Art Electronic Monitoring and Reporting System In the past, there was no standard method of reporting MWBE participation within New York’s statewide procurement process. To streamline the MWBE certification process and create efficiency through technology, the State issued a contract to create an electronic monitoring and compliance system. The system will make the MWBE certification process more user friendly, enabling businesses to easily interact with the State contracting process, obtain information about requests for proposals, and market their services to agencies and authorities through one web portal. The system will also allow the State, for the very first time through a state-wide electronic database, to closely and effectively monitor how and whether state agencies are spending state dollars with minority and women owned businesses and utilizing their best efforts to achieve the Governor’s goals.

Increasing Pool of Certified MWBE Firms

New York State’s ability to certify MWBE firms across local municipalities and the federal government was subject to a slow and complex process that hindered business growth. To remove this barrier the State has developed a fast track option for certifying MWBE firms.

The State entered into agreements with New York City, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and is engaged with the U.S Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to fast track MWBE applications. As a result of these agreements, firms will be able to quickly become state MWBE certified and will be able to bid on state contracts.

To increase outreach and technical support to MWBEs, the State has signed an agreement with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition to facilitate the operation of the NY-Manhattan Minority Business Development Center. This new collaboration opens the door for policymakers to work with financial institutions to help provide critical resources for MWBEs, including increased small business lending for entrepreneurial initiatives in low and moderate-income communities.


Building Opportunities for MWBE Participation and Economic Growth

The State is building opportunities to enhance MWBE economic growth by developing a consistent and comprehensive network of opportunities for MWBEs to exchange information, ideas and available resources for business support. The State hosted and participated in 124 outreach events since February 2011 and hosted the first quarterly MWBE Certification Open House. The open house provided firms with the opportunity to become certified during one-on-one interviews with staff from the Division of Minority and Business Development.

The State held a unique event featuring minority and women-owned businesses as exhibitors. This event connected prime contractors and decision makers with minority and women-owned business enterprises vying for $82 million in contracts at the CUNY/City College Advanced Science Research Center. Like the first annual New York State MWBE Forum held in October, this event creates invaluable networking opportunities allowing business owners to showcase their skills and allows prime contractors and state decision makers to visit a wide variety of MWBE exhibits.

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