Telephone: 212.367.2130
Facsimile: 212.644.9201
www.wbcnyc.org
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Volume I, Issue 26 - Week of June 29th, 2009
The year 2009 may be half over, but the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is just getting off the ground. Some legislators are working to further improve on the ARRA’s provisions for Minority and Women businesses, and Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez has written a letter to Governor Patterson and Mayor Bloomberg with recommendations. This comes at a time when many African-American contractors, in particular, feel that they are not getting as much as they should out of the stimulus program. You can review the complete text of the letter by clicking on the news link below.
New York State is resolute about including MWBEs in the stimulus programs concerning energy and green initiatives. This determination was evident at the June 30th Energy Efficiency and Green Technology Opportunities: Stimulus and Beyond forum. Over 500 MWBEs participated in this day-long program, organized by the Empire State Development Corporation and the Minority Business Development Council. Panels concerned topics such as certification and requirements, and breakout sessions delved more thoroughly into public and private sector opportunities for minority and women businesses, alternative energy and LEED requirements. Over 50 speakers from city and state agencies, private and public companies provided extensive information on every aspect of the future of Green building in New York. A business-to-business matching session gave additional opportunity for smaller companies and subcontractors to introduce themselves to larger organizations and possibly apply for contracts. A Daily News recap of the forum is below.
We wish you a pleasant 4th of July weekend!
More next week...
Renee
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Renée Sacks, Ph.D.
Editor
rsacks@wbcnyc.org
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GET CERTIFIED
WBC can help you get certified with New York City Small Business Services. It’s an important first step to navigating procurement opportunities with the city and other public agencies. Contact WBC at 212.367.2130 or email rsacks@wbcnyc.org for more information. |
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Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez's Letter Regarding MWBE Inclusion in the New York State Stimulus Program
6/26/2009
Nydia M. Velázquez |
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"The State and the City's effort to maximize participation by minority and women firms will not only benefit this sector, but it also makes good sense. By using these companies - many of which are the best and brightest in their field - we can ensure that the State and the City are drawing on the highest quality companies to maximize tax payer dollars. This truly results in a 'win-win' situation for everyone involved."
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Green's Where Money Is: $1 Billion Worth of Contracts Expected in Envioronmentally Friendly Deals
7/1/2009 - Daily News
Eager to tap into federal stimulus dollars, hundreds of area business owners converged in lower Manhattan Tuesday to learn how to turn environmentally friendly projects into cash.
More than 500 entrepreneurs - engineers, building suppliers, contractors and consultants - wanted to learn how they could land a piece of about $1 billion worth of contracts expected statewide over the next two years.
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Private Investors and State Projects
6/22/2009 - Source: The Ithaca Journal
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$192 billion is the amount that has been requested for infrastructure projects in New York state, from a federal allocation of $3.9 billion.
Over the next 20 years, the state will fall $100 billion short of its highway and bridge funding requirements just to maintain, let alone improve, our current system.
Meanwhile, our schools are in disrepair, our hospitals and nursing homes are among the oldest nationally, our telecommunications and broadband systems are disjointed and inaccessible to many taxpayers, and our energy infrastructure is overloaded. |
Irving Creates Minority and Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Program
6/22/2009 - Source: Pegasus News
The 2000 United States census reported Texas was the fourth state to have a non-white majority population and concluded 50.2% Texans were minorities, according to an online MSNBC report. One might ask why it took Irving over 100 years to adopt a program that supports equal business opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. Anthony Bonds, community activist and founder of Irving NAACP, did ask that question. Bonds states, "I have pursued the city of Irving to adopt a M/WBE program for 14 years, and I am glad we have a city manager who is in favor of this program."
Atlantic Yards Developer Wins Longer Schedule
6/23/2009 - Source: Crain's New York
Forest City Ratner Cos. received another reprieve on its much-delayed Atlantic Yards project Tuesday when the Empire State Development Corp.’s board voted to amend the plan so that the site can be acquired and paid for in stages.
The vote kicks off a 30-day public comment period on the changes to the $5 billion project which includes a new arena, 16 buildings for residential, office, retail, community use and parking. If there is any negative testimony about the revised plan—and if Tuesday’s long, rancorous ESDC meeting was any indication, there will be—another board vote will be necessary.
SBA Loan Program Opens to Refinancing
6/24/2009 - Source: South Florida Business Journal
The U.S. Small Business Administration will for the first time allow small businesses to refinance existing loans via the administration’s 504 loan program.
Previously, small-business owners could use that program only to make new purchases of real estate or capital equipment, such as machinery. |
MTA Approves Atlantic Yards Schedule Changes
6/24/2009 - Source: Crain's New York
Forest City Ratner cleared a major hurdle blocking the building of its long-delayed Atlantic Yards project on Wednesday when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board agreed to grant the developer’s request to pay for the Brooklyn parcel over time.
The outcome was expected despite a cadre of critics claiming that the MTA is shirking its financial responsibility by allowing the $100 million payment to be stretched out over two decades. Now instead of paying the money upfront, Forest City will deliver $20 million at closing and the rest in payments ending in 2031.
Atlantic Yards Project Enters a Crucial Period
6/24/2009 - Source: New York Times
Armed with a set of concessions wrung from state officials this week for his Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, the developer Bruce C. Ratner faces what may be his most daunting challenge. He is trying to raise more than $500 million over the next four months to build the $4.9 billion project’s centerpiece: the most expensive basketball arena in the country.
Huge Affordable Housing Complex Set for Queens
6/25/2009 - Source: Crain's New York
The Queens property once envisioned as the site of the Olympic Village for the 2012 games will instead become home to the city’s largest affordable housing complex since the 1970s, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday.
All States Beat a Deadline on Transportation Spending
6/25/2009 - Source: New York Times
They are using it so they won’t lose it.
The federal stimulus law required the states to reach agreements by June 29 on how to spend at least half of the main pot of transportation money or risk losing some of it, and federal officials announced Thursday that all 50 states had beaten the deadline.
City Council Moves Forward on Disparity Study
6/26/2009 - Source: San Antonio Business Journal
The San Antonio City Council has announced that it has accepted the findings of a recent study into its contracting and procurement practices — specifically the city’s track record in hiring small, minority and women-owned businesses as contractors for city projects.
Black Contractors Still Waiting on Stimulus
6/25/2009 - Source: FinalCall.com
Three months after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law, Black contractors and advocates say they have yet to see a fair share of capital from the stimulus package that promised to disperse billions of dollars in construction projects.
“We really haven't seen a surge of opportunity for Black businesses,” said Omar Sharef, president of the Chicago-based African-American Contractors Association, which represents more than 1,200 Black-owned firms across the nation.
Stimulus Summit for Small Businesses in El Paso, TX
6/26/2009 - Source: Hispanic Business
Minority small-business owners can meet next week with government officials and small-business lenders to learn more about opportunities for work, financing and resources through the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act.
The free event will feature U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes and an overview of the stimulus act and what it offers to small, minority- and women-owned businesses, said Terri Reed, project director of the Minority Business Enterprise Center, operated by the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Columbia University/NYC Small Business Services
Certificate/Mentorship Program
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• Is your company a minority-, woman-, or locally-owned small construction trades business?
• Does your business make less than $1 million annually (gross)?
• Are you interested in building a partnership with Columbia University?
• Are you interested in building a partnership with the City of New York?
• Do you want to obtain a Columbia University Continuing Education Certificate?
If you answered "YES" to these questions, the Columbia/SBS Certificate and Mentorship Program might be for you.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2009/2010 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY/SBS CERTIFICATE AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION IS JULY 6, 2009.
To obtain an application, visit http://facilities.columbia.edu/mentorshipprogram
Questions? Email projx@columbia.edu or call (212) 854-3649. |
Make the Connection. The World Trade Center Business Resource Center is where M/W/SBEs can access an array of valuable business services, including critical information on upcoming contract opportunities with WTC redevelopment projects.
WHEN:
Monday through Friday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm |
WHERE:
115 Broadway, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10006 |
See Current Bid Opportunities from DASNY |
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