What's happening
The bill allows New York City agencies to make purchases up to $150,000 from certified minority and women-owned businesses without formal competitive bidding and requires annual reporting on such procurements.
Why it matters
Increases access for minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) to city contracts. by allowing agencies to bypass formal bidding for purchases up to $150,000, which could make it easier for smaller MWBEs to win business and build capacity.
Introduces flexibility in awarding contracts. by allowing agencies to use "best value" criteria—factoring in quality, efficiency, labor practices, and MWBE status—rather than relying solely on lowest price, potentially encouraging higher standards and broader participation.
Mandates greater transparency and accountability. by requiring annual public reports on the value and number of small-dollar MWBE contracts, as well as data on MWBE availability, enabling better oversight of progress toward equity goals and identifying gaps.
Could shift city procurement culture. by embedding MWBE support and reporting into law, potentially creating new business opportunities, promoting local economic development, and serving as a model for inclusive procurement elsewhere.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Support Minority, Women Businesses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Substituted by S6513B
- Rules report cal.688
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 8508a
- Amend and recommit to cities
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Boost Minority, Women Businesses
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Marisol Alcantara
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8508--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the New York city charter, in relation to opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 311 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new subdivision i to read as follows:
i. In addition to other rules authorized by this section, the board may provide by rule that:
1. agencies may make procurements of goods and services for amounts not exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars from businesses certified as minority or women-owned business enterprises pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of the charter without a formal competitive process.
2. agencies may award contracts for goods and services on the basis of best value to the bidder or offerer which optimizes quality, cost and efficiency, among responsive and responsible bidders or offerers. Such basis shall reflect, wherever possible, objective and quantifiable analysis and may include the prospective bidder's record of complying with existing labor standards, maintaining harmonious labor relations, and protecting the health and safety of workers. Such basis may also identify a quantitative factor for awarding of contracts for bidders or offerers that are businesses certified as minority or women-owned business enterprises pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of the charter.
3. the rule or rules promulgated to implement paragraph one of this subdivision shall provide that the city shall, commencing on the first of October of the first full calendar year following the adoption of such rule or rules, submit an annual report to the governor and the state legislature of the total number and total dollar value of procure-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11891-14-7
A. 8508--A 2
ments of goods and services for amounts not exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars from:
(i) businesses certified as minority or women-owned business enterprises pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of the charter;
(ii) all other businesses; and
(iii) information about the number of businesses certified as minority or women-owned business enterprises pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of this charter able to perform the specific type and scale of work involved in each procurement.
§ 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and after exhaustion of all further judicial review, the judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act directly involved in the controversy in which the judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any contract entered into, renewed, modified or amended on or after such date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.