Comptroller Stringer Launches Year-Long Workshop Series for Minority and Women Business Owners to Level the Playing Field and Build Wealth Creation

(New York, NY) — Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced a year-long series of workshops designed to increase access to contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) and ensure all New Yorkers have an equitable chance to earn business from the City’s multi-billion dollar procurement budget. While City agencies are making important strides in delivering contracts to M/WBEs, major gaps remain. A report released by the Comptroller’s office last year revealed the City awarded only $1 billion in contracts to M/WBEs out of a $19.3 billion budget in FY18 – just 5.5 percent of the total budget. The report also found that a full 80 percent of M/WBEs did not receive any business from the City in FY18.

Comptroller Stringer’s M/WBE University will bring in representatives from major companies and connect M/WBEs to opportunities in fields such as accounting and banking within the Comptroller’s Office. In collaboration with Microsoft, M/WBEs will also have the chance to learn about providing the City with key technology services such as cloud computing. And for the first time, Comptroller Stringer’s series will offer market analysis webinar trainings for agencies and M/WBEs. Both agencies and M/WBEs will learn about the City’s progress in spending, strategies to address market trends, industry demographics, and clientele that fit their services through Checkbook NYC and other resources.

The list of workshops include:

February 28, 2019
Win Your Next Contract and Get Paid

March 22, 2019
Become a Prequalified NYC Auditor: for CPAs Only

April 3, 2019
Accelerate the Digital Transformation of NYC

May 23, 2019
Become a NYC Depository Bank & Receive Tax Breaks

August 2, 2019
Doing Business with the Comptroller’s Office

December 6, 2019
The Future of M/WBEs in NYC

“New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and yet our own government fails to make fairness a priority when it comes to spending city dollars,” said Comptroller Stringer. “With Comptroller’s M/WBE University, we’re building on our office’s work to develop innovative solutions that expand opportunities for all New Yorkers. This is about equity and inclusion – and helping these companies build real wealth across communities. If we’re going to have a true five-borough economy, we have to ensure everyone has a fair shot at earning City business.”

Since taking office, Comptroller Stringer’s Office of Diversity Initiatives has evaluated each City agency’s spending with M/WBEs in an effort to drive the City to improve its spending with diverse firms, and hold agencies accountable when they fail to do so. Today’s announcement follows Comptroller Stringer’s call for the City Charter Revision Commission to establish a Chief Diversity Officer in each City agency and in City Hall. The Comptroller has called on all New Yorkers to sign a petition asking the Commission to put diversity and inclusion on the November 6th ballot.

The Office focuses on assisting minority- and women-owned businesses successfully compete for public and private sector procurements which will enable them to grow, and on launching initiatives that put diversity at the heart of the way the City does business.

To see the schedule of Comptroller’s M/WBE University events and RSVP, visit http://comptrollerdiversity.eventbrite.com/ or email diversity@comptroller.nyc.gov. Interpretation services and other special accommodations can be arranged by calling (212) 669-3916.

To receive a one-on-one market analysis, email diversity@comptroller.nyc.govor call (212) 669-3916.

To read the full “Making the Grade” report, click here.

To sign the petition to put the Chief Diversity Officer on the November 6th ballot, click here.

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