“The next bill before me today is Introductory Number 911-A, sponsored by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Sanders, Comrie, Dickens, Reyna, Jackson, Mark-Viverito, Mealy, Williams, Arroyo, Brewer, Chin, Crowley, Dromm, Eugene, Foster, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Koo, Koppell, Koslowitz, Lander, Mendez, Palma, Recchia, Vann, Garodnick, Ferreras, Rivera, Weprin, Rodriguez, Lappin, Gennaro, Greenfield, and Halloran.  Introductory Number 911-A improves the Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Program by eliminating the $1 million cap on contracts that are covered by goals for increasing participation in City contracting by businesses owned by minorities and women and enhancing oversight and reporting requirements to ensure that the City is meeting its MWBE Program goals.

“Introductory Number 911-A authorizes agencies to set goals for utilization of MWBEs on contracts above the $1 million threshold established by the old law.  This will more than triple the number of contracts covered by the City’s MWBE Program.  MWBEs have won more than $3 billion in City procurement awards and will now be able to compete more effectively for higher-valued contracts.  Additionally the bill requires agency representatives to report to a Mayoral designee on their progress toward meeting contract participation goals set forth in the law.

“I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway, Senior Policy Advisor Greg Mayers, Mayor’s Office of Contract Services Director Andrea Glick and her predecessor Marla Simpson, Small Business Services Commissioner Rob Walsh, and all their staff, along with Howard Friedman and Martha Mann Alfaro of the Law Department and my Office of City Legislative Affairs.  I would also like to thank the City Council for approving this legislation.”