New York Construction Report staff writer
Minority and women business owners to register to attend the City of Rochester’s inaugural Upstate MWBE Conference March 22 through 24 to learn how to compete for government contracts.
Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) is a federal program administered by state and local governments to help minority and women business owners overcome racial and structural barriers to securing government contracts for goods and services. The city seeks to direct 30 percent of aggregate annual spending on private contracts to certified MWBEs.
“A robust MWBE program advances the causes of equity and economic empowerment by helping companies that were historically locked out of the government-purchasing process tap into these funding streams, grow their businesses and create jobs,” said Mayor Evans. “I encourage minority and women business owners to register today for the Upstate MWBE Conference and learn how they – and their employees – can be among the first to benefit from the millions of dollars that local governments invest each year in their communities.”
The Upstate MWBE Conference will kick off at 5 p.m. Mar. 22 at the Strathallan Hotel, 550 East Ave., with a jazz reception, awards dinner and networking opportunities. It will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mar. 23 and 24 at the Wegmans Conference Center, 200 Wegmans Market St., with interactive training sessions, presentations, discussion forums, and an MWBE Opportunities Expo.
Organizers say the objective is to “promote meaningful conversations on a variety of topics” to help MWBEs better understand the MWBE certification process, meet contractual obligations and establish relationships among industry peers and large “prime contractor” firms that often subcontract MWBEs. Discussions will emphasize the challenges and opportunities of working in the Upstate economy.
Visit CityofRochester.Gov/MWBEConference2023/ to register or learn more.
