New York State Executive Law Article 15-A governs the requirements for the participation of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in New York State contracting. The goal of Article 15-A is to encourage and support eligible MWBEs to play a greater role in the state's economy by increasing their participation in New York State's contracting opportunities.
The Empire State Development's Division of Minority and Women's Business Development (DMWBD) is responsible for certifying eligible MWBEs and assisting and promoting their participation in the state's procurement activities. Information about the program and how to apply for certification is available at the Division of MWBD website.
The Workers' Compensation Board ("WCB" or "Board" ) is committed to achieving the statewide goal of 30% participation for state contracts through the MWBE Program and encourages participation of MWBEs in WCB procurements.
In accordance with New York State Finance Law, the Board's procurement opportunities are published on the agency website and on the New York State Contract Reporter (NYSCR) website. The NYSCR is New York State's official publication of procurement activity for all state agencies. The Board encourages all businesses to register for free access to this resource.
WCB's Key Objectives for the MWBE Program are:
- To ensure that the WCB operates as an organization that increases and supports diversity in the workplace;
- To determine which procurement option, or combination of options, can best achieve the agency-specific goals for each procurement;
- To encourage and assist vendors that are engaged in contracting activities to find and award subcontracts to MWBEs;
- To promote the business development of MWBEs through education and outreach;
- To collect, review, monitor, and report on data pertaining to the utilization of MWBEs; and
- To ensure continued progress toward the statewide MWBE utilization goal of 30% established by New York State Executive Law Article 15-A.
A searchable Directory of NYS Certified MWBEs can be found on the New York State Contract System website.
Resources:
ESD Division of Minority and Women's Business Development
Web: esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/mwbe
Phone: (646) 846-7364
Certifications Email: mwbecertification@esd.ny.gov
General Email: mwbebusinessdev@esd.ny.gov
Workers' Compensation Board Procurements
Web: wcb.ny.gov/procurements.jsp
Procurements Email: wcbcontracts@wcb.ny.gov
Capability Statements / Compliance Email: wcbmwbe.sdvob@wcb.ny.gov