New York State continues to lead the empowerment of minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) at every level—with the utilization rate for MWBEs on New York State contracts rising to 29.13% during Fiscal Year 2018-19—once again the highest rate in the nation. Governor Cuomo announced the new number on Oct. 2, in conjunction with the annual MWBE Forum in Albany. MWBEs won more than $2.93 billion in state contracts during the past fiscal year—adding to a total of more than $15.9 billion since 2011.
The Forum, New York State’s largest annual business event for MWBEs, brings together business owners, community leaders, state officials and contractors’ representatives to discuss state contracting opportunities and learn about resources available to minority and women-owned firms. The event furthers Governor Cuomo’s efforts to create a level playing field for MWBEs and to increase their participation in New York State contracting.
This year’s Forum, Leading the Nation, was held Oct. 2-3 and featured 49 workshops highlighting New York State’s best-in-the-nation efforts to assist small businesses and MWBEs across New York to learn about State contracting opportunities. Once again, the Forum served as a "one-stop shop" for MWBEs to learn about the state procurement process, receive technical assistance and acquire new skills to successfully expand into new market sectors to grow their businesses.
This year’s Forum was attended by more than 2,200 businesses, state agencies and authorities and government officials. Throughout the event, attendees were able to visit with 190+ exhibitors; there were more than 800 one-on-one meetings between MWBEs, prime contractors, and state agencies, as well as more than 200 meetings with certification analysts. This year, attendees had the opportunity to learn about topics ranging from the re-authorization of Article 15-A, which provides statutory authority for the MWBE program, to financing assistance and information on major infrastructure projects.
The Forum also highlighted new and expanding initiatives by Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. This year, the Supply & Demand Utilization Initiative, which targets industries with low levels of MWBE utilization and availability, has been expanded to support MWBEs in: advertising and marketing, architecture, engineering, environmental services, financial services, insurance, legal services, medical and clinical services, real estate, communications, IT consulting, software development, medical, dental, and lab supplies, office equipment and furniture, and food and beverage. The initiative provides industry-specific assistance, including specialty webinars, technical services from strategic partners, and individualized outreach and networking days.
The Forum also recognized the relaunch of the MWBE Mentor Protégé Program, which matches prime contractor mentors with certified MWBE firms. The mentor firms guide MWBEs with hands-on technical knowledge and networking opportunities, so they can better access state contracting opportunities.
The 2019 MWBE Forum built upon the investments New York State has made in its infrastructure and economic development initiatives and underscored new upcoming opportunities for MWBE firms—including those with some of the state’s top projects: the Belmont Park Redevelopment; John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports Redevelopment; Vital Brooklyn Projects; and the MTA Capital Plan.
This year’s Forum also highlighted the incredible work being done by NYS-certified MWBEs, with a first-time “Journey to Success” panel featuring three MWBE firms that all served as prime contractors on New York State contracts. This year’s gathering also featured a newly expanded MWBE-to-MWBE networking session to encourage the creation of new partnerships and strategic alliances.
Four New York State MWBE businesses were recognized as Carey Gabay Excellence and Innovation awardees. This honor — named for Carey Gabay, who served as an Assistant Counsel to Governor Cuomo and as First Deputy Counsel for Empire State Development before he was tragically killed in September 2015 — celebrates New York-certified MWBEs for their entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to innovation and efforts to strengthen their communities, principles that Carey Gabay lived during his service to New York State.
The 2019 Awardees for Entrepreneurial Spirit and Achievement as New York State-Certified MWBEs are:
- Laura Cueva, Interior Innovations
- Kirit Desai, Derive Technologies. LLC
- Mary Warren, Black Horse Group, LLC
- Edward O. Watts, Jr., Watts Architecture & Engineering, D.P.C.
The governor’s vision to address the issue of underutilization of MWBEs was, and continues to be, based on common-sense economics—New York’s financial growth and stability is dependent upon the success of its small businesses and of its MWBEs. Governor Cuomo is dedicated to ensuring that MWBEs have access to the tools and resources necessary to win State contracts, build healthy communities and strengthen the economy.