The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) says it offers an eight-month program to provide minority and women business enterprise (M/WBE) certified contractors enhanced access to opportunities.
The SBS website says the program, which begins in October, will provide instruction on how to:
- Better manage NYC M/WBE-certified construction firm and construction projects;
- navigate and connect to city contract opportunities; and
- expand your professional network.
Program benefits include:
- A business needs assessment;
- one-on-one mentoring from an experienced M/WBE construction management firm
- specialized education and training from industry experts;
- bidding assistance on city contract opportunities; and
- customized three-year growth plan to help the business succeed.
The program is open to owners of NYC certified (or eligible to be certified) M/WBE construction or trade firms, architects, engineers or other construction-related businesses.
The qualifying business needs to have been in operation for at least two years, and have at least two employees (one of whom can be the employer).
For M/WBE certification information, see this link.
The city also offers a bond readiness program, with “education, training, and one-on-one financial management assistance from bonding experts to help obtain surety bonds and increase surety bond capacity in the city and other construction projects.”
Some program benefits include:
- Bonded firms can pursue larger contracts;
- participants can learn how to establish business credibility; and
- connect to and access guidance from a network of surety companies.
