MWBEstat would dramatically increase accountability.

New York, NY – Today, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced legislation to establish an accountability system to enforce the City’s Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) law. Speaker Quinn’s proposed system, MWBEstat, would improve the City’s tracking and monitoring of its use of MWBE contractors and subcontractors, requiring officers from each City agency to periodically meet and report to the Mayor on their progress towards meeting the participation goals set forth in Local Law 129. In 2005, the Council enacted the law in order to address the under-utilization in City contracting of businesses primarily owned, operated and controlled by women and minorities. Speaker Quinn will be introducing legislation to develop MWBEstat in the coming weeks.

Speaker Quinn’s proposed legislation was inspired in part by the New York City Police Department’s CompStat, a management program where crime statistics are compiled, analyzed and discussed during weekly strategy meetings, and leaders are held accountable for poor performance.

“If we want to help people reach the middle class and stay there, we need to make the dream of owning a small business possible for all New Yorkers. Part of the way we can achieve this is by making sure City contracts are awarded in a way that is not just fiscally responsible, but equitable,” said Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “With Local Law 129, the Council took the first steps towards leveling the playing field for minority and women-owned businesses in City contracting. Now we must make certain that each agency is working diligently to fulfill its mandate. This system will ensure that MWBE participation is routinely scrutinized both by agencies and at the highest levels of the Administration.”

“This is a common sense solution to a problem that many minority and women-owned businesses face. I look forward to the development of MWBEstat and know it will be a useful tool to help more women and people of color to secure City contracts. I thank Speaker Quinn for her leadership on this issue,” said Contracts Committee Chair Darlene Mealy.

While MWBE-certified vendors have been able been able to secure $2 billion in City contracts over the last five years, still, not nearly enough are awarded to women and New Yorkers of color. And, while some City agencies have been successful at increasing MWBE contracting, many have not. The need for strengthened enforcement and accountability is evident.

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