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Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise Opportunity
New York City's "MWBE" program is designed to promote government contracting opportunities for businesses owned by minorities and women. Our "Emerging Business Enterprise" program is designed to promote such opportunities for businesses owned by persons who are "socially and economically disadvantaged."[i] Firms owned by persons in groups for which MBE or WBE goals have not been established may be able to qualify for certification as "emerging business enterprises."
Each City agency adopts an annual plan setting forth its goals for procurements from MBEs and WBEs. The goals in the Law Department's plan for Fiscal Year 2019 are as follows:
| Services | Less than or equal to $20,000 | $20,001 to $100,000 | Greater than $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Services | |||
| Black | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Hispanic | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Women | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| Standard Services | |||
| Black | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Hispanic | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Asian | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Women | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Goods | |||
| Black | 7% | 7% | |
| Hispanic | 5% | 5% | |
| Asian | 8% | 8% | |
| Women | 25% | 25% | |
Eligible firms are encouraged to become "certified" as minority-owned, woman-owned, and emerging business enterprises. Certified firms will appear in an online directory maintained by the City's Department of Small Business Services. City agencies will be using this directory, and making other outreach efforts, to identify firms and encourage them to make bids and proposals for City business.
City agencies will be tracking and reporting our success in achieving goals to the Department of Small Business Services, the Mayor's Office of Contract Services, and the City Council. The reports will be available to the public.
Bonding and Financing Available to Qualified M/WBEs
For more information, please contact the Law Department's MWBE Officer, Muriel Goode-Trufant, at 212-356-2200, or visit New York City Department of Small Business Services.
[1] Our local law provides that a person who is "socially and economically disadvantaged" is "a person who has experienced social disadvantage in American society as a result of causes not common to persons who are not socially disadvantaged, and whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to others in the same business area who are not socially disadvantaged." The Commissioner of Small Business Services will promulgate regulations addressing how social and economic disadvantage may be demonstrated by applicants for the program. In drafting such regulations, the Commissioner is to consider criteria developed for federal programs established to promote opportunities for businesses owned by persons who are socially and economically disadvantaged, including criteria for determining eligibility in relation to the net worth of persons claiming to be economically disadvantaged. The net worth of a person claiming economic disadvantage must be less than one million dollars, excluding the ownership interest in the business enterprise and the equity in the person's primary personal residence.