DDC Launches New Mentoring Program For Qualified M/WBE Construction Firms and Small Businesses

(New York, NY) The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and administration officials today joined construction industry and local elected leaders to launch a new DDC Mentoring Program designed to increase business opportunities for qualified Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) and small businesses. The program, modeled after successful programs at the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), is the first of its type for a New York City agency.

“New York City’s economic recovery must include all sectors, particularly the Small Businesses and Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) that anchor our local communities” said Philip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives. “DDC’s Mentoring Program for M/WBE Construction Firms and Small Businesses is a continuation of this administration’s legacy to grow the capacity of and provide opportunities to our Small Businesses and M/WBEs.”

“DDC’s Mentoring Program is designed to prepare qualified M/WBEs and small businesses to successfully compete for and complete City construction contracts,” said DDC Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer. “Participants will receive customized business growth planning and industry training and will gain real-life experience under the guidance of DDC professionals and established firms with years of experience in the field. This program has the potential to truly give emerging firms a stepping stone to long-term success.”

“SBS and our City agency partners are dedicated to educating MWBEs about city procurement, and helping them to compete for contract opportunities,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “In Albany, we fought for – and won – the right to combine business education with actual experience performing on projects for the City of New York. The DDC Mentoring program is the result of these efforts, and will give skilled and ambitious MWBE construction firms the unique experience of applying their expertise to the specialized world of working on a public construction project in the largest municipality in the country. Through this investment, we will propel business growth, MWBE program success, and further these firms’ contributions to our economy. This is a huge step forward and SBS is proud to be DDC’s close partner in this work.”

“This mentoring program is an important milestone for DDC and a reinforcement of the solid partnership that exists between DDC and the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) community.” said Magalie D. Austin, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. “It is a testament and recognition of the importance of M/WBE s in the construction industry as important partners for the City of New York. The Mentoring program will support and grow the capacity of firms that will allow them to fully participate in the City’s recovery as they compete for larger projects, and create jobs that will help grow and strengthen our communities.”

“It’s crucial that we provide small firms and M/WBEs with opportunities, tools, and guidance so they can compete for City construction contracts, both to level the playing field and to ensure City contracts are more accessible,” said the Administration’s Senior Advisor for Recovery and former DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. “This opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals both at DDC and in the construction industry will be invaluable for emerging businesses and I encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity if they qualify.”
DDC is the City’s principal construction management agency, building infrastructure and public buildings for more than 20 City agencies plus non-profit organizations that receive funding from the City. DDC is also responsible for much of the City’s contracting opportunities for M/WBE firms.

In Fiscal Year 2021, DDC’s M/WBE usage rate was 25.6%, as it entering into 334 total contracts with M/WBEs value at $660 million. In Fiscal Year 2020, 440 M/WBE firms won contracts with DDC worth $335 million, a usage rate of nearly 32%. The City’s overall M/WBE usage rate for the year was 29%, which was a record for the City.

The new Mentoring Program will help businesses grow with the goal of increasing their financial capacity and preparing them to compete for open market contracts. Businesses accepted into the program will receive:

Through DDC’s partnership with the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), participants in the Mentoring Program will also have access to SBS staff, to capital opportunities via SBS’s capital growth programs and to SBS’s workforce development programs to support businesses’ administrative capacity.

To be eligible for the new program, firms must be in the construction industry, have been in business for at least one year and must be certified by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) as an M/WBE or “small business” (an independently owned and operated non-M/WBE with average annual gross earnings between $150,000 and $500,000 during the last three calendar years.)

Firms also have to meet minimum requirements for annual gross earnings and have appropriate references. Businesses in the areas of general contracting, concrete, electrical, HVAC, mechanical and plumbing services are all encouraged to apply.

Businesses interested in DDC’s Mentoring Program should register as a “Bidder/Proposer/Mentor” at https://ddcanywhere.nyc, click on the Mentoring Access Portal (MAP) icon and complete the Eligibility Screening Questionnaire to determine if they meet the preliminary qualifica­tions. Upon completion and preliminary qualification approval, businesses will receive access to the Mentoring Program application.