New York’s MWBE programs should be safe from Trump

President-elect Donald Trump’s election will not change New York’s procurement policies, particularly in regard to minority- and women-owned businesses, city and state officials said during City & State’s annual Government Procurement Conference on Nov. 14 at EmblemHealth’s headquarters in lower Manhattan.

Government procurement officials made clear the law and disparity studies have put the city and state on solid ground to continue the program and not face any changes from the federal government under Trump.

“We carefully operate a MWBE program that is designed to remedy a disparity that we identified through research,” New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Dynishal Gross said.

Gross said the city’s last disparity study, a key part of MWBE procurement programs, identified needs for contracts for MWBE firms as part of government procurement. She said the city is in the process of kicking off a new disparity study that she believes will confirm the same need. 

Jason Myles Clark, executive director of the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development at Empire State Development, said the state’s most recent disparity study also confirmed the need for the program at the statewide level. Clark noted that a U.S. Supreme Court opinion that upheld MWBE programs required the disparity study to show a need and that the program also had to be narrowly tailored. He said the state’s program fits these guidelines.

Lisette Camilo, the chief administrative officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, was also clear that Trump’s election would not change the way the MTA approaches procurement.

“We’re professionals in working with all parties and all partners. We have a strong commitment to our MWBE partners and program – and that will not waiver,” she said. 

State Chief Procurement Officer Dhanraj Singh used his keynote remarks to stress that government procurement is not just the state obtaining goods and services but rather for the state to invest in its communities. Singh said that a key part of this is MWBE and service disabled and veteran-owned small businesses. He said the state is committed to making sure these businesses are part of the procurement process.

Singh stressed that a key part of the state’s procurement policy is to make sure there is public trust in the process and that his office and other state agencies remain in close contact with stakeholders to make sure the system remains transparent and in the best interest of communities.

“With billions of dollars spent annually on procurement, the public procurement process is the way that public dollars are delivered into the community as investment,” he said.

Michael Garner, New York City’s citywide chief business diversity officer, used his keynote remarks to stress the ways Mayor Eric Adams has improved MWBE administration in the city, including new policies to enforce timely payments to MWBE subcontractors by city contractors.

Garner described both Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul as “MWBE-centric.” He told the audience that there is a clear path forward for all of them to be part of the procurement ecosystem in New York. He said the key is for business leaders to never give up. 

​​“Travel with a first-class mentality, don’t give up your dream, keep on pounding the pavement,” he said. “You will achieve your dream.”