WBC - Business Information For Women Builders

Telephone: 212.367.2130
Facsimile: 212.644.9201
www.wbcnyc.org


Editorial Advisor
Walter McCaffrey
The McCaffrey Group, LTD



   
 

Executive Officers *
President
Sandra Wilkin
Bradford Construction Corporation

Vice President
Fruma Narov
Narov Associates

Vice President
Raquel Nuñez
Nuñez Electric

Treasurer
Monica Foster
F&R Installers Corporation

Corresponding Secretary
Nermin Ucar
Ultima Construction, Inc.

Recording Secretary
Cheryl McKissack
The McKissack Group, Inc.

President Emeritus
Maureen Fritch
Fritch Construction

Members of the Board
 Samara Barend
STV, Inc.

Elizabeth Benham
Sel Group International, Inc.

Deborah Bradley
Deborah Bradley Construction

Jane Chmielinski
DMJM Harris

Sharon Craddock
S&L Industries

Sharon Emek
CBS Coverage Group, Inc.

Sarita Hirani
Sen Consulting Group

Dolly Williams
A Williams Construction

Executive Director
Renée Sacks, Ph.D
Sacks Communications, Inc.

Legal Counsel
Lori Samet Schwarz, Esq.
Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

Financial Counsel
Louis C. Grassi, C.P.A
Grassi & Co.

Public Policy Advisor
Walter McCaffrey
The McCaffrey Group Limited

 




Electronic Design & Production:

Sacks Communications, Inc.
www.sackscom.com

   
      

Volume I, Issue 8 - Week of February 23, 2009

We hope you continue to find our weekly updates informative and helpful. This week we call your attention to the web site established by President Obama’s administration to track the status of the projects under the new Stimulus plan. One of these projects is expected to inject $4.7 billion into New York’s education system. You’ll also find several articles that explore the current status of our economy and detail how it affects you and your organization.

The Women Builders Council, the Jamaica Business Resource Center and the School Construction Authority Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, along with over 25 industry associations, are proud to support a March 20th program, entitled “Moving Forward at the MTA," featuring an address by MTA’s new Chief Diversity Officer, Michael J. Garner. We encourage you to register for this important event. Follow this link for more information.

Renee Sacks, Ph.D.
Editor

   

We want to hear from you. Please share your ideas on issues that affect your business.






 

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 City and other public agencies. Contact WBC at 212.367.2130 or email rsacks@wbcnyc.org for more information.

View the new web site established by President Obama which tracks the status of the projects under the new plan.



Moving Forward at the MTA: Minority & Women Business Enterprises
02/18/2009
Michael J. Garner, MTA’s new Chief Diversity Officer, will address new plans for advancing MWBE opportunities at the MTA. Mr. Garner, formerly Senior Director of Business Development at the New York City School Construction Authority, has been credited with developing a national model for expanding opportunities for MWBEs through mentorship and capacity building programs. He will share new MTA initiatives.

Celebrating Over a Decade of Accomplishments
 In recognition of Mr. Garner’s accomplishments for advocacy on behalf of MWBE firms, the sponsors of this event will present Mr. Garner with a special plaque to recognize his contributions to New York’s construction industry.
FREE Event for Architectural/Engineering Consultant Firms and Minority and Women-owned Consultant Firms
Source: New York State Contract Reporter
The Office of General Services is sponsoring a free event to provide Architectural/Engineering Consultant Firms, and Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Consultant Firms with the opportunity to get to know each other and to form business relationships.

This initiative will provide prime consultants with an opportunity to interview M/WBE consultants regarding future projects. M/WBEs will be able to speak directly with the prime consultants to present information on their experiences, capabilities, and their availability for future work. A presentation on stand alone and term contracts, and letters of interest will also be offered.

OGS is inviting you to participate in this program. If you are interested, please send an email to van.holland@ogs.state.ny.us, or call 518 473-7083. Thank you

WHEN:
Friday, March 13, 2009
From 11:00am – 3:30pm		 WHERE:
The Empire State Plaza,
Concourse, Meeting Room 6, Albany, New York

SBA Small Business Administration presents Winning Government Contracts Through Effective Proposals
Source: New York State Contract Reporter
The Government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. The Small Business Administration Awards for 2007 totaled $83.2 Billion. One of the ways to sell your business services to Government is through the competitive RFP (Request for Proposal) process – especially if you are certified under SBA’s 8(a) BD & HUBZone programs. Now you can get clear, concise & concrete techniques on how to navigate the proposal process and connect with the people who make the Government’s buying decisions. This workshop teaches you:
  ° What are the Universal Elements of every RFP?
  ° What Evaluators look for in a Proposal
  ° How to avoid pitfalls that can derail your sale

WHEN:
April 9th 2009 9:30 am – 2 pm		 WHERE:
26 Federal Plaza – 6th Fl. Conf. Rm H
New York, NY 10278



Obama's stimulus to inject $4.7 billion into New York's education system, says Schumer
2/26/2009 - Source: New York Daily News
Washington's hefty stimulus plan will mean more cash for the city's poor and special needs students and could prevent teacher layoffs, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Thursday.

The bill will inject about $4.7 billion into New York State's education system over two years.
Ground Zero, Again (Recession is Undermining a Fragile Recovery Process in Lower Manhattan)
3/1/2009 - Source: Crain's New York Business
The shrinking financial services industry is leaving another gaping hole in Lower Manhattan, as the recession undermines a fragile recovery process in what had appeared to be the city's next hot spot.

Tommy Krisko has been selling food from his mobile All-American Diner at Whitehall Street since 1989, catering to busy bankers and lawyers who dash out for a chicken cutlet at lunch or stop by for a bagel on their hurried commutes through the narrow downtown streets.
Legal Victory for Atlantic Yards Developer
2/26/2009 - Source: New York Times City Room Blogs
The developer Bruce C. Ratner chalked up a legal victory for his proposed Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn on Thursday when a state appellate court ruled against opponents who had challenged the $4 billion project on environmental grounds.
Condo Co-developer files for Bankruptcy
2/25/2009 - Source: Crain's New York Business
Uptown Partners, which filed for bankruptcy protection this week, insists the setback is not tied to its new 28-story Fifth on Park condominium facing Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park.

Uptown Partners, a co-developer in one of Harlem’s tallest luxury condominiums, has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The company originated and remains a minority shareholder in Fifth on the Park, the new 28-story condominium that faces Marcus Garvey Park. It co-developed what it claims to be Harlem’s first market-rate condominium, The Lenox, which is between West 129th and West 130th streets on Lenox Avenue.
Obama Says Energy is Critical to Economic Future
2/24/2009 - Source: The New York Times
In his first address to Congress, President Barack Obama identified energy as one of the “three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future.”

"Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years,” the President said. “We've also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history, an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine, in science and technology. We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills."

Read the full text of the President’s speech.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/us/politics/24obama-text.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
Gov. Paterson Announcement of First Stimulus Grants
2/23/2009 - Source: The New York Times
Governor David A. Paterson today announced the first transportation projects eligible for federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be put to bid as early as March 5, creating thousands of jobs in Upstate New York. These projects include the replacement and repair of bridges in Steuben, Onondaga, Oneida and Herkimer counties, and will be fully-funded through the federal legislation. The Governor also outlined the process that will produce the final list of transportation projects to be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Labor Feels the Heat
2/24/2009 - Source: Crain's New York Business
Construction costs across the city have fallen anywhere from 5% to 15% since just last summer as prices for everything from structural steel to plumbing subcontractors sag along with demand.

With the recession and credit crisis sidelining $4 billion to $5 billion of projects for the three months through January, contractors and material suppliers are slashing prices to the bone to win business.
Senator wants to Jumpstart Moynihan with Stimulus
2/24/2009 - Source: Crain's New York Business
Sen. Charles Schumer says $100 million in federal money, plus some of the billions marked for train projects, could get the stalled station project rolling.

Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday that the Moynihan Station project should be jumpstarted with money from the federal stimulus package, including funds that other New York officials want for a high-speed rail project.

10 MINUTES THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR BUSINESS

New York Construction and Grassi & Co. CPAs have partnered to conduct an industry-wide survey designed to gather information from you and your colleagues to report on business trends that will impact on the way you operate and grow your company. That information is vitally important in light of recent changes in our economy and in our marketplace.



New Worker Safety Campaign
Source: NYC Buildings
Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri joined Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Guillermo Linares, representatives from the City’s leading construction firms, industry unions and worker advocacy groups to announce the launch of a citywide worker safety campaign to encourage construction workers to properly wear their safety harnesses at all times while working at a construction site. Thousands of posters, banners and brochures - in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Hindi and Urdu - are being distributed throughout the City, including high-rise construction sites, designated worker centers, union halls, community centers, telephone kiosks, and the Buildings Department’s five borough offices






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:
Open Monday through Friday
From 9:00am - 5:00pm
WHERE:
115 Broadway, 19th Floor
New York 10006 NY

 
   
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