File #: Res 0167-2004    Version: * Name: Tracking and reporting by City agencies of City contracts awarded to minority and women-owned businesses.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Contracts
On agenda: 2/26/2004
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the appropriate committee of the Council of the City of New York to conduct an oversight hearing regarding the tracking and reporting by City agencies of City contracts awarded to minority and women-owned businesses as well as trends of minority and women-owned business participation in city contracting.
Sponsors: Bill Perkins, Letitia James, Alan J. Gerson
Council Member Sponsors: 3

Res. No. 167

 

Resolution calling upon the appropriate committee of the Council of the City of New York to conduct an oversight hearing regarding the tracking and reporting by City agencies of City contracts awarded to minority and women-owned businesses as well as trends of minority and women-owned business participation in city contracting.

 

By Council Members Perkins, James and Gerson

 

Whereas, The City’s contracting budget exceeded $9 billion for fiscal year 2003; and

 

Whereas, It is vital to the City’s economy and to New Yorkers’ basic sense of fair play that minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) are able to access the procurement system and compete for City contracts to the same extent as others; and

 

Whereas, It is therefore important that the City know the nature and extent of M/WBE participation in City contracting; and

 

Whereas, In September, 1992, the City began an M/WBE program which was designed to ensure meaningful participation for M/WBEs in the City’s procurement process; and

 

Whereas, The M/WBE program established a certification procedure and developed outreach and assistance programs for M/WBE’s, including bonding and technical assistance; and

 

Whereas, The M/WBE program also required the City to track contracts awarded to M/WBEs and to monitor trends in M/WBE contracting; and

 

Whereas, In 1998, the City, under the previous mayoral administration, canceled the M/WBE program and ceased collecting data on M/WBE participation in City procurement; and

 

Whereas, The Council has initiated a study to measure M/WBE participation in City contracting for the period of 2000 to 2002, which is scheduled to be completed in June 2004; and

 

Whereas, While this study is important for historical and legal reasons, the City must also maintain knowledge of current M/WBE participation trends in City contracting by tracking and analyzing M/WBE participation data on a constant basis; and

 

Whereas, Section 1304 of the Charter requires the Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services to produce an annual report on the activities and efforts made to enhance the ability of minority and women owned business enterprises to compete for City contracts; and

 

Whereas, However, more useful and comprehensive performance measurements than are currently provided, along with an improved system of tracking and reporting, need to be developed in order to afford a more accurate view of M/WBE participation in city procurement which will allow the City to ensure meaningful participation of M/WBEs in City procurement; now, therefore, be it 

 

Resolved, that the appropriate committee of the Council of the City of New York conduct an oversight hearing regarding the tracking and reporting by City agencies of City contracts awarded to minority and women-owned businesses as well as trends of minority and women-owned business participation in city contracting.

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