What's happening
This bill allows New York City agencies to make small procurements from certified minority and women-owned businesses without formal competition and to favor such businesses in contracts.
Why it matters
Expands opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses by allowing NYC agencies to make small purchases (up to $150,000) directly from certified MWBEs, which could increase their participation and revenue in city contracts.
Authorizes agencies to use 'best value'—not just the lowest price—when awarding contracts, enabling consideration of quality, efficiency, labor standards, and MWBE status, potentially shifting contract awards toward higher-performing or more equitable vendors.
Requires annual public reporting to the Governor and Legislature on the number and value of small procurements made from MWBEs versus other businesses, increasing transparency and accountability regarding the city's efforts to support MWBEs.
May influence broader city procurement policies by providing ongoing data on MWBE capacity and participation, which could inform future reforms or expansion of preferential contracting programs.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
City-certified minority- and women-owned businesses
The bill would authorize rules allowing city agencies to buy goods and services from them for up to $150,000 without formal competition and to give them a quantitative factor in best-value awards.
New York City procurement officials
The bill would authorize rules permitting best-value contract awards based on quality, cost and efficiency, with annual reporting required for the small-procurement provisions.
Other city goods and services vendors
They could face competition from certified minority- and women-owned businesses receiving purchases without formal competition or favorable consideration in best-value awards.
Workers employed by city contractors
Best-value evaluations could consider bidders’ records on labor standards, labor relations and worker health and safety.
Headline styles
Boost Minority, Women Businesses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Approval memo.65
- Signed chap.504
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.688
- Substituted for A8508A
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.2073
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
Show 5 earlier actions
- Print number 6513b
- Amend and recommit to cities
- Print number 6513a
- Amend (t) 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.
Support Minority, Women Businesses
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Alicia Hyndman
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6513--B
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 30, 2017
Introduced by Sens. ALCANTARA, SAVINO, COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11891-13-7
S. 6513--B 2
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 procurements 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the New York city charter, in relation to opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises
Purpose
To provide opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises.
Summary of provisions
Section 1.
Section 311 of the New York City charter is amended allowing agencies to make procurements of goods and services for amounts not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand dollars from business enterprises certified pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of this charter.
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. Agencies awarding contracts for construction may also identify a quantitative factor in evaluation of bids or offers for awarding of contracts for bidders or offerers that are business certified pursuant to section thirteen hundred four of this charter.
Section 2.
Severability.
Section 3.
Effective date.
Justification
In Fiscal Year 2016, a paltry 4.8 percent of New York City contract dollars went to minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBE's), which make up 51 percent of all businesses in New York City. In light of this unacceptable disparity, the City of New York has pledged to direct 30 percent of city contract spending to MWBE's by 2021. This effort requires an increase in the number of MWBE's that are familiar with city contract processes.
Increasing the number of potential MWBE contracts will make the bidding process more competitive. Consequently, the city will have the opportunity to select contractors with a record of cost-efficiency, fair labor practices, and a record of promoting health and safety in the work place all while supporting a business environment that is reflective of New York City's diversity.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal impact
To be determined.
Effective date
The act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any contract entered into, renewed, modified or amended on or after such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.