STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S VOTE TO STRENGTHEN MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM
"Small businesses are an essential part of our economy and the City is always working to expand opportunities for them to open, grow and succeed. Today's vote to strengthen the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program will help meet that goal by eliminating barriers so that more businesses can participate in City contracts. The legislation builds on the achievements of Local Law 129, which expanded the number of MWBE firms certified to participate in the City's program from 700 to more than 3,400 today. Those firms have won more than $3 billion in City procurement awards and will now be able to compete more effectively for higher-valued contracts. The legislation will also improve oversight and reporting requirements to ensure that the City is meeting its MWBE goals. These measures are an important part of diversifying our economy, and I applaud Council Speaker Quinn and her colleagues for their work to pass this legislation."