This procedure sets forth guidelines to assist state-operated campuses of the State
University of New York (University) in the procurement of materials, supplies, equipment,
construction, construction-related services and services (including printing) from
New York State certified minority- or women-owned business enterprises (MWBE).
Specifically, it outlines steps that campuses must employ in the procurement process
for commodities and services (Procedure Item 7553) and construction (Procedure Item
7554) and construction-related services (Procedure Item 7555) in order to be in compliance
with Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-261), NYS Executive
Law Article 15-A, 5 NYCRR Part 140 and University MWBE policy (Procedure Item 7556).
This procedure applies to all procurements exceeding $25,000 for labor, services (including
architectural and design services), supplies, equipment or materials, and for procurements
exceeding $100,000 for the acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major
repair or renovation of real property and improvements.
University-wide:
The State University of New York's University-wide MWBE Program will comply with
NY Executive Law Article 15-A, 5 NYCRR Part 140, Federal Equal Employment Opportunity
Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-261), University MWBE policy (Procedure Item 7556),
and the SUNY Board Resolution January 2012 entitled “Minority and Women Enterprises
Utilization Reports.” The responsibilities include, but are not limited
to the following:
Appointment and Responsibility of Campus MWBE Coordinator:
Each campus shall appoint an MWBE Program Coordinator or designee who shall be responsible
for the campus compliance with the MWBE Program.
Responsibilities:
The MWBE Program Coordinator or designee is responsible for full implementation of
Procedure 7557 and monitoring for compliance on contracts.
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OBJECTIVES
It is the policy of the University to ensure that MWBEs, as defined in Article 15-A,
have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in University procurements. Through
the implementation of this procedure, the University intends to:
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permit only firms certified by Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to participate
on SUNY contracts as MWBEs;
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create a level playing field on which MWBEs can compete fairly for University procurements;
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ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of contracts;
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assist to eradicate artificial barriers to the participation of MWBEs in State contracts.
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OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES
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Submit to NYS Department of Economic Development (NYDED):
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an annual Master Goal Plan; and
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a quarterly compliance report including, but not limited to, the number of total SUNY
contracts awarded, the maximum dollar amount obligated to those contracts, and total
expenditures pursuant to all such contracts; same for contracts awarded to certified
MBE or WBE.
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Provide:
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an annual report to the SUNY Board of Trustees that compares established MWBE goals
with the University's actual MWBE participation;
-
a performance evaluation for campus presidents addressing their respective campus
compliance with the University MWBE program;
-
an annual Goals Bulletin that provides separate goals, broken down by contract type,
for participation of certified minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs)
and equal employment opportunity (EEO) participation on all SUNY contracts;
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assistance to campuses with goal assignment on campus contracts
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goals setting training, goal preparation tools;
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review and approve goals and utilization plans which fall below established University-wide
goals threshold as published in the annual Goals Bulletin;
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a partial or total waiver of goal requirements established on a contract provided
there is documentation of good faith efforts by the vendor/contractor to meet the
goal requirements of the contract.
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Training for campuses' designated MWBE Program Coordinator(s) on MWBE requirements
and providing updates on regulations.
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In consultation with the Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Associate Vice Chancellor
for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, review campuses' compliance with MWBE procedures
as necessary.
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Appointment: The MWBE Program Coordinator or designee who shall be identified
by the campus President, or designee on the MWBE Program Coordinator Designation (Form 7557-122) and
forwarded to the University-wide MWBE Program Office.
-
In order to ensure continuity of operation and training on Procedure 7557, the MWBE
Program Coordinator shall notify the University-wide MWBE Program Office prior to
vacating this responsibility. The campus President or designee is responsible
for notifying the University-wide MWBE Program Office of a replacement.
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MWBE REQUIREMENTS - DEMONSTRATING A GOOD FAITH EFFORTS
NYS Executive Law Article 15-A and University policy require campuses, as well as
the vendors and contractors with whom they do business, to make a good faith effort
to procure materials, supplies, equipment and services (including printing) from NYS
certified MWBEs and to meet University-established goals for MWBE participation in
a State contract.
The University is required to submit an annual plan establishing MWBE goals to the
Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC). The University's agency specific
goals are published annually on April 1st at the start of the State fiscal year in
a MWBE Guidance Bulletin, Volume 5 (2014) MWBE-EEO
Goals. Contract specific goals may also be assigned through the MWBE Goal
Setting process (See Goal Setting Primer).
The MWBE Guidance Bulletin, Volume 4 (2014) entitled: “Business Rules
to Implement a Successful MWBE Program” (hereinafter referred to as “Business
Rules”) are instructions that a campus shall use to ensure that “Good
Faith Efforts” are met and documented at a system-wide level to standardized
the process as required by (5 NYCRR §141.6(b)).
The University is required to document a good faith effort in procurements by employing
the actions outlined in sections below.
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PRE-SOLICITATION PHASE
The primary activity in the pre-solicitation phase is to assign goals that consider
certified MWBE firms identified as either a prime or subcontractor on contracts the
campuses intend to let.
MWBE goals are defined as the percentage of aggregate agency expenditures targeted
for the participation of certified minority- and/or women-owned business enterprises
sought to be included in State procurement opportunities as prime contractors, subcontractors,
suppliers, consultants, joint ventures, teaming agreements, or other similar arrangements.
Goals may be expressed as annual Statewide (also referred to as “Section 313
goals”), agency-specific or contract goals.
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Goal-Setting Methodology
The MWBE Goal Setting Primer is provided to assist campus MWBE Program Coordinators
in the day-to-day administration of SUNY's contract-specific goal setting process.
When calculating contract-specific goals the MWBE Program Coordinator or designee
will:
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Determine whether goals are feasible in the participation of certified MWBEs in the
procurement opportunity.
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Conduct a vendor and spend analysis to determine whether there are NYS certified MWBEs
that are available to participate in the procurement.
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Determine whether, based upon the commodity codes relevant to the procurement, there
are NYS certified MWBEs, both inside and outside of the campuses' region, that
have indicated their availability:
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in the ESD MWBE certification database; or
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in response to a campus' inquiry.
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Prepare a list of potential MWBE's that have indicated in the ESDC MWBE certification
database an interest in the procurement.
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Determine if components of the project can be separately procured or the project can
be progressed using a phased contract approach in order to increase participation
without compromising project delivery. This approach is referred to as unbundling.
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Determine whether the campus can utilize SFL §163.6 to make discretionary purchases
to increase the probability of soliciting quotes from NYS certified MWBEs on that
procurement.
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Insert the MWBE completed Goal Setting form (7557-115)
to the procurement record and upload information into the electronic contract record
in SUNY MWBE Portal once contract is awarded.
-
Prior to advertising in the NYS Contract Reporter, the MWBE Program Coordinator will
provide the goals contained in the Goal Setting form (7557-115)
to the contract administrator for insertion into the NYS Contract Reporter, Exhibit
A-1 and other solicitation documentation.
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Factors to Consider when Establishing Contract Goals
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MWBE Program Coordinator shall establish goals for participation of certified MWBEs
on all State contracts, where applicable. University campuses must notify Contractors
in bid documents, requests for proposals, contract announcements or advertisements
or otherwise in writing of the goals established on State contracts. University campuses
shall provide an electronic link to the NYS or official current list of certified
minority- and women-owned business enterprises to each prospective contractor. In
determining what goals are appropriate in relation to a particular State contract,
the MWBE Program Coordinator must give consideration to the following factors:
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the contract and subcontract scope of work;
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the number and type of certified MWBEs available in the State or official directory
to perform the State contract work, and their availability in the region of contract
performance;
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the total dollar value of the work required by the State contracts, in relation to
the dollar value of subcontracts of the contract scope of work;
-
the relationship of the size and term of a State contract to the size and term of
a project for which purpose the State contract is awarded;
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the percentage of certified MWBEs located outside the region, and their availability
in the region of contract performance;
-
the potential subcontract opportunities available in a contract and the availability
of certified MWBEs to respond to the potential subcontract opportunities;
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For construction, construction-related services and equipment from capital funds,
campuses should prepare a separate Goal Setting form (7557-115)
for each of the following:
-
construction-related consultant services - including design, construction management,
and commissioning;
-
construction - including all construction, testing, special inspections and balancing
services;
-
equipment - including standard equipment and furniture. Specialized equipment
for research/diagnostic testing, proprietary or equipment sourced by sole or single
source procurement method which may have fewer MWBE opportunities, should be identified
and the value of the identified items reduced from the committed dollar amount upon
which MWBE goals are applied.
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A copy of the completed Goal Setting form (7557-115)
must be submitted to the University-wide MWBE Program Office when the goals that are
set are below the established agency goal threshold in the annual MWBE Guidance Bulletin;
-
Documentation to accompany the formal e-mail request is: (1) A copy of a completed
Goal Setting form (7557-115);
and (2) documentation of good faith efforts undertaken at the campus level to ascertain
MWBE availability;
-
In consultation with the campus, the University-wide MWBE Program Office will determine
whether additional action needs to be taken to meet established goals or whether a
formal request will be made to assign lower goals.
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If a State contract is entered into on an emergency basis or where an amendment or
change order has been added to a State contract providing for a total expenditure
in excess of $25,000, University campuses may require the contractor to submit a utilization
plan and to comply with other post award requirements during the life of the contract.
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Diversity Practices
The University shall determine whether it is practical, feasible and appropriate to
include in the evaluation of bids or proposals the diversity practices of all contractors
making submission for the award of any State contract that is:
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Awarded on the basis of best value, or otherwise awarded as a response to a request
for a proposal and/or a request for qualification; and
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Anticipated to result in an award of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000)
or greater; and
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Not a contract based on lowest price.
The MWBE Program Coordinator will score the Diversity Practice Questionnaire, which
can be found in the Request for Proposal boilerplate, using the Diversity Practices
Scoring Rubric (Form
7557-125). This final score will be calculated on the NYS Diversity Practices
Scoring Matrix (Form
7557-126). Diversity Practices will be a weighted score up to 10% of the
technical.
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SOLICITATION PHASE
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The campus will incorporate the goals agreed upon in the completed Goal Setting form
(7557-115) into
the Exhibit A-1
and incorporate the said Exhibit
A-1 into the solicitation along with any other information that the MWBE Program
Coordinator deems relevant.
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In addition to identifying a designated contact for procurement related activities,
the campus will identify a designated contact for MWBE-related inquiries. The statement
below should be inserted in all procurement solicitations:
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“For inquiries related specifically to Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprises
(MWBE) provisions of this procurement solicitation, the designated contact is: list
name, title, address, telephone number and email address.”
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The MWBE contact will respond to questions and requests for clarification received
by telephone or visitation by bidders or their representatives.
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All submission should cite the specific MWBE section in the solicitation prompting
the inquiry.
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Pre-proposal/Pre-bid Conference or walk through: If the campus holds a Pre-proposal/Pre-bid
conference as specified in the solicitation, an opportunity to clarify MWBE related
questions and for MWBE firms to meet other prospective bidder's firms must be
facilitated.
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The campus contract administrator shall include as a topic of discussion (in any pre-bid,
walk through and/or pre-proposal meetings) MWBE goals and participation requirement.
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The MWBE Pre-Proposal/Pre-Bid Information Script can be downloaded from the SUNY Means
Business Website.
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The MWBE Program coordinator will discuss with prospective bidders SUNY's MWBE
policy and requirements necessary to submit an acceptable utilization plan and good
faith efforts documentation.
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The campus contract administrator will issue a public notice of the procurement opportunity
through advertisements and outreach as follows:
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Procurements above $50,000 require that an advertisement be placed in the New York
State Contract Reporter.
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A notice of solicitation (i.e., by phone, letter or email) should be sent to:
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The NYS certified MWBE vendors, as developed through the goal setting process.
Note: A disclaimer may be included to state that the MWBE vendor list is not prequalified
by the campus.
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The full directory of NYS certified MWBE vendors is produced by New York State Department
of Economic Development (DED) and is available on-line at http://www.nylovesmwbe.ny.gov/.
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Appropriately located (regional) MWBE business associations:
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Entrepreneurial Assistance Centers
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New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC
Website)
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Minority & Women Business Resource Centers (see Appendices section)
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All advertisements and notices should be sent in a timely fashion allowing MWBEs
at least 15 days notification in advance of the response date if the procurement
is greater than $50,000.
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If campuses develop a selective bidders list, campuses must include MWBEs on this
selective list to prospective bidders as identified during the goal setting process
pursuant to 5 NYCRR Part §141.6(b) (6)).
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SELECTION AND AWARD PHASE
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The following MWBE documentation is required with submittal of the bid
or proposal:
-
Commodities and Services - The MWBE Program Coordinator will review
the forms listed below to ensure the integrity of the MWBE information being submitted.
The Campus procurement evaluation committee approves all sub consultants
for services. The MWBE Program Coordinator approves whether the MWBE component
is meaningful and acceptable. This is done in collaboration with campus
selection professionals. The MWBE component is vetted prior to selection and
then again after selection with the submission and review of the following forms:
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MWBE Utilization Plan (7557-107)
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MWBE-EEO Staffing Plan (7557-108)
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Vendor/Contractor EEO Policy (7557-104)
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MWBE Service/Consultant GFE Rating (7557-119)
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Construction-Related Consultants Services - The MWBE Program Coordinator
will review to ensure the integrity of the MWBE information being submitted (i.e.
MWBE certification status, approved commodity codes, etc.). The campus procurement
evaluation committee approves all sub consultants. The MWBE Program Coordinator
approves whether the MWBE component is meaningful and acceptable. This is done
in collaboration with campus design professionals. The MWBE component is vetted
prior to selection and then again after selection.
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Receipt of the Sub-consultant/MWBE Staffing List
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Architecture/Engineering Design Sub-Consultant/MWBE Staffing List (7555-15)
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Construction Management Sub-Consultant/MWBE Staffing List (7555-16)
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Commissioning Services Sub-Consultant/MWBE Staffing List (7555-17)
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Contractor EEO Policy Statement (7557-104)
The following MWBE documentation is required within seven days of submittal
of the bid or proposal:
Note: Campuses have the option to make this request
more restrictive and elect to require the utilization plan submitted with the bid
if they choose.
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Construction
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Receipt of the MWBE utilization plan and staffing plan is required within
seven days of submittal of the bid. These documents, as noted
below, shall be submitted by the three apparent low bidders to the campus MWBE Program
Coordinator who will review them with campus design professionals.
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MWBE Utilization Plan (7557-107)
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Vendor/Contractor EEO Policy or SUNY Form (7557-104)
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Additional MWBE forms and documentation will be required if the Utilization Plan is
determined deficient.
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MWBE-EEO Work Plan (Form
7557-105)
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Contract Breakdown (Form
7557-106)
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MWBE Rating Forms shall be used by the MWBE Program Coordinator
for service/consultant, construction consultant and construction contracts.
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Construction Consultant Selection Rating (7555-06)
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Backdrop Term Consultant Mini Selection (7555-07)
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Evaluation of Design Firm Response (7557-124)
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Diversity Practices Scoring Rubric (7557-125)
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NYS Diversity Practices Scoring Matrix (7557-126)
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MWBE DOCUMENTATION REVIEW AND APPROVAL
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Prior to the contract being signed, the MWBE Program Coordinator in consultation with
appropriate campus staff must review and approve all MWBE documentation (i.e. Staffing
Plan, Utilization Plan, etc.) for construction, construction consultant, services
and commodity contracts within twenty (20) business days, as required by 5 NYCRR §142.4.
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If approved, the contractor, at the direction of campus, must submit copies of all
MWBE Utilization and Staffing Plans to the central repository (MWBEProgram@suny.edu).
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If not approved, the MWBE Program Coordinator will provide the contractor with a written
notice of deficiency of the Utilization Plan within twenty (20) business days of its
receipt, as required under 5 NYCRR Part 142.6(c). Should a notice of deficiency be
issued, it shall include but not be limited to the following:
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A list of NYS certified MWBEs that the contractor could potentially use as a subcontractor;
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The name of any MWBE which is not acceptable for the purpose of complying with the
MWBE participation goals; and
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Any other information which the MWBE Program Coordinator determines to be relevant
to developing an approvable MWBE Utilization Plan.
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In addition to a revised Utilization Plan, the MWBE Program Coordinator may require
additional MWBE documentation if awardees submit deficient MWBE good faith effort
documentation. These documents are as follow:
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7557-101: MWBE
Contractor Solicitation Letter
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7557-102: MWBE
Participation Quote
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7557-103: MWBE
Contractor Unavailability Certification
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7557-105: MWBE-EEO
Work Plan
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7557-106: Contract
Breakdown and Sample.
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The contractor shall respond to the notice of deficiency by submitting to the MWBE
Program Coordinator a written remedy within seven (7) business days, as required by
5 NYCRR Part 142.6(e).
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If the deficiency is rectified, the contractor, at the direction of campus, is to
submit copies of MWBE Utilization and Staffing Plans to the central repository (MWBEProgram@suny.edu).
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If the deficiency is not rectified, and the contractor is requesting a waiver:
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If the written remedy submitted is found to be inadequate, the MWBE Program Coordinator
will notify the contractor and direct the same to submit, within five (5) business
days, a request for partial or total waiver of MWBE-EEO goals as required by 5 NYCRR
Part 142.6 (f) on Form 7557-114 provided by the University-wide MWBE Program
Office.
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The MWBE Program Coordinator is to submit a copy of the deficient Utilization Plan,
along with the Vendor's/Contractor's good faith documentation, waiver request
Form 7557-114 and
Governor's Office waiver request Form
7557-114a to determine the appropriateness of submitting a waiver request to the
Chief Diversity Officer.
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The University-wide MWBE Program Office, in consultation with the MWBE Program Coordinator,
will determine whether additional action can be taken to assist the vendor/contractor
reach their goal or whether a formal request will be made to waive the goal.
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If a contractor is deemed non-responsive or non-responsible by the University-wide
MWBE Program Office, the request for a waiver shall be deemed to be moot (5 NYCRR
Part 142.7(a) (1) (b)).
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The University-wide MWBE Program Office, in consultation with the Chief Diversity
Officer in the Governor's Office, may grant a partial or total waiver of goal
requirements established on the contract only upon the submission of information supporting
a waiver request by the vendor/contractor and the verification of requisite documentation
of good faith efforts by the vendor/contractor to justify a waiver request.
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Should the waiver request be denied by the University-wide MWBE Program Office, this
may be grounds for disqualification of the Contractor's bid or proposal.
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Failure to file the waiver form in a timely manner may be grounds for disqualification
of the Contractor's bid or proposal.
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The Business Officer or campus designee, upon consultation with SUNY Counsel, the
University-wide MWBE Program Office and the MWBE Program Coordinator, may disqualify
(5 NYCRR §142.6(f)) a contractor as being non-responsive to the requirements
of NYS Executive Law Article 15-A if the contractor:
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Fails to submit a MWBE Utilization Plan;
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Fails to submit a written remedy to a notice of deficiency to a MWBE Utilization Plan;
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Fails to submit a request for waiver;
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Receipt of a waiver request denial from the University-wide MWBE Program Office; or
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Determines that the vendor/contractor/consultant has failed to perform good faith
efforts.
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The campus contract administrator will ensure that the Exhibit
A-1 with the contract specific goals is included in the contract.
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Workforce Employment Utilization Report (“Workforce Report”)
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The Contractor shall submit a Workforce Report, and shall require each of its Subcontractors
to submit a Workforce Report on the following forms:
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Form 7557-110 Monthly
EEO Workforce Utilization Report: Construction
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Form 7557-112a Quarterly
EEO Workforce Utilization Report: Advertising and Marketing
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Form 7557-112b Quarterly
EEO Workforce Utilization Report: Legal Services
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Form 7557-112c Quarterly
EEO Workforce Utilization Report: Software Development
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Instructions to complete the forms are provided in the SUNY Guidance
Bulletin Volume 7: Workforce Utilization Report below.
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Workforce Reports shall be collected on a monthly basis for construction contracts
and a quarterly basis for all other contracts.
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Separate forms shall be completed by the Contractor and the Subcontractor.
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The MWBE Program Coordinator will direct the prime contractors to submit the forms
in the timeframes prescribed above to the MWBE central repository (MWBEProgram@suny.edu)
and copy the MWBE Program Coordinator.
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Within (10) business days of contract award, the MWBE Program Coordinator will submit
a copy of the approved utilization plan and staffing plan to the MWBE central repository
(MWBEProgram@suny.edu).
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The MWBE Program Coordinator may be required to provide the campus with copies of
signed MWBE subcontract agreement(s), a copy of which is forwarded by the MWBE
Program Coordinator to the central repository at MWBEProgram@suny.edu
should the need arise to verify that the subcontractor/supplier is performing a commercially
useful function.
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CONTRACT EXECUTION AND MONITORING PHASE
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The MWBE Program Coordinator will, with the assistance of other campus staff, be responsible
for monitoring compliance with the established MWBE goals during the life of the contract.
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The campus will monitor and verify the contractor's compliance with Executive
Law Article 15-A by discussing the following items during progress meetings:
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any and all MWBE issues
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any and all EEO issues
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copies of meeting minutes and e-mail communications
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MBE utilization
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WBE utilization
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EEO utilization.
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The MWBE Program Coordinator will require the contractor to submit the following compliance
reports to the campus and the MWBE central repository (MWBEProgram@suny.edu).
The SUNY MWBE Portal will replace the central repository in January 2018.
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Monthly or Quarterly MWBE Utilization Reports; and
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Quarterly EEO Work Force Utilization Report.
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In accordance with 5 NYCRR § 141.4, the University is required to review the
aforementioned submitted reports to ensure the following:
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If payments have been made to the Prime?
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If payments have been made to the Sub?
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Is there a submitted Utilization Plan or does the current Utilization Plan require
modification? (see #6 below)
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Review solicitation to ensure appropriate application of goals.
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SUNY's compliance process will be outlined in a guidance memo to assist campus
staff in developing an internal controls to ensure contractor adherence to NYS
Executive Law Article 15-A.
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If requested, the Business Officer or campus designee, shall require the contractor
to provide access to other relevant documentation (e.g., books, records, and payroll
records) relating to their operations and implementation of their affirmative action
or equal employment opportunity program in effect as of the date the contract is executed.
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Any waivers of compliance issued by the University-wide MWBE Program Office, or modifications
to the utilization plan, shall be posted on the University-wide MWBE Program office
website, or a campus website, if they have the capacity, within ten (10) business
days of making such a decision.
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Within forty-five (45) business days after completion of a contract, the MWBE Program
Coordinator shall submit to the central repository at MWBEProgram@SUNY.edu
a final MWBE Compliance Report detailing total expenditures by the contractors to
MWBE subcontractors. The SUNY MWBE
Portal will replace the central repository in January 2018.
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DOCUMENTATION OF GOOD FAITH EFFORTS - The University's Responsibility
-
The University is responsible for verifying documentation to demonstrate good faith
efforts to obtain MWBE participation in State contracts to facilitate compliance with
this obligation. The MWBE Program Coordinator in coordination with other campus
staff should include a completed SUNY Compliance Checklist (Form
7557-120) and any other relevant documents as described below in the procurement
record:
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Copy of an approved Goal Setting form (7557-115);
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Approved MWBE forms (i.e. Utilization Plan, MWBE Contractor Unavailability Certification(Form 7557-103));
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A copy of the notice of solicitation and any advertisements placed in general circulation
media, trade association, publications and/or minority-focused media;
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Records showing the contact information of the MWBE organizations and associations
contacted for that procurement;
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All solicitation responses including:
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Bids, quotes or proposals received from MWBE firms; or
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Emails or letters returned as “undeliverable;”
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Completed Unavailability Certificates (Form
7557-103) or similar forms;
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A statement in writing supplied by an MWBE or documentation in writing by the campus
of a conversation with an MWBE indicating why the vendor did not provide a quote,
proposal or bid;
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Where appropriate, (i.e. minority commerce weekly) pursuant to 5 NYCRR §142.8(a)
(3) record of negotiations with MWBE firms from whom quotes for purchases under the
discretionary threshold were received.
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DISCRETIONARY BUYING AUTHORITY
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NYS Finance Law 163.6 (b) - Discretionary Buying Threshold for the MWBE Program
As stated in Item 7553
(Purchasing and Contracting), and consistent with NYS State Finance Law Section 163.6,
where commodities or services are available from New York State certified MWBEs, purchases
may be made by the University in amounts not exceeding $200,000 without competitive
bidding.
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The discretionary threshold of up to $200,000 for procurements from small, minority-
and women-owned business does NOT apply to construction & construction-related
consultant services.
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The campuses are required to document in the procurement record support for both the
reasonableness of the price and the selection of the vendor.
-
Advertising requirements under NYS Economic Development Law still apply. The appropriate
language when advertising in the NYS Contract Report is provided below:
“SUNY intends to procure (insert project description, i.e. 1,000 widgets)
pursuant to its discretionary purchasing authority under State Finance Law section
163(6). This procurement opportunity is limited to New York State businesses
certified pursuant to Article 15-A of the New York State Executive Law.”
Please note: NYS Finance Law 163 6-b stipulates that the reasonably
expected aggregate amount of all purchases of the same commodities or services from
the same provider within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of the first
purchase cannot be an amount greater than the discretionary buying threshold amount
for that agency. Additionally, purchases of services or commodities
shall not be artificially divided for the purpose
of satisfying the discretionary buying thresholds. Finally, unbundling (5 NYCRR
Part 141.5(c) (2)) is recognized as a best practice when utilizing this provision
of the SFL.
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Elements of Good Faith Effort for Discretionary Procurements (not exceeding $200,000):
(See SUNY Policy Item 7553 [Purchasing and Contracting] for an explanation of
discretionary procurements under $50,000 and between $50,000.01 and $200,000)
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Justification for the selection of vendor may be supported by:
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demonstrating reasonableness of price
-
showing enhanced or additional value provided by the vendor
-
noting the vendor is a NYS small business(if applicable)
-
identifying the vendor is an MBE or WBE (this cannot be the sole
justification)
When an MWBE submits a quote for a commodity or service for a discretionary procurement
(not exceeding $200,000) and the quote is deemed high, the campus is encouraged to
engage in direct negotiation with the MWBE firm in an attempt to reach reasonableness
of price. This good faith effort is not applicable for a formal competitive
procurement (i.e., sealed bid) as defined in SUNY Procedure Item 7553.
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Reasonableness of Price (methods of establishing) - including, but not limited to:
-
comparing the quoted price with the price for the same or similar services within
the last six months;
-
comparing the price with other quoted prices;
-
comparing the quoted price with prices in various procurement publications;
-
reviewing the type of work that was previously accepted by the campus at a similar
price; and
-
comparing the quoted price with cost to other governmental entities.
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Follow-up telephone calls to MWBE vendors are encouraged (e.g., to determine if the
vendor plans on submitting a quote or to engage in negotiations).
Definitions
Bid - binding price offering that has been submitted in a sealed
envelope to prevent dissemination of its contents before the deadline for the submission
of all bids.
Equal employment opportunities (EEO) - The conscientious and active
efforts by a contractor to afford employment opportunities to minority group members
and women without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex,
age, disability or marital status.
Goals - The term referring to the percentage of aggregate agency
expenditures targeted for the participation of certified minority- and/or women-owned
business enterprises sought to be included in State procurement opportunities as prime
contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, joint ventures, teaming agreements,
or other similar arrangements. Goals may be expressed as annual Statewide (also referred
to as "Section 313 goals"), agency-specific, or contract goals.
Joint venture - A contractual agreement joining together two or more
business enterprises, one of which is a certified minority - or women-owned business
enterprise, for the purpose of performing on a State contract. The certified minority-
or women-owned business enterprise must provide a percentage of value added services
representing an equitable interest in the joint venture. All parties agree to share
in the profits and losses of the business endeavor according to their percentage of
equitable interest.
Mentor-Protégé Agreement - A contract between a prime
contractor, the "Mentor," and a minority- or women-owned business enterprise,
the "Protégé," in which there is a transfer of knowledge,
technology, or other resources, which promotes the economic growth of the minority-
or women-owned business enterprise or fosters the establishment of a long term business
relationship between the parties.
Minority group member - A United States citizen or permanent resident
alien who is and can demonstrate membership in one of the following groups:(a) Black
persons having origins in any of the Black African racial groups;(b) Hispanic persons
of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Central or South American of either Indian
or Hispanic origin, regardless of race;(c) Native American or Alaskan native persons
having origins in any of the original peoples of North America;(d) Asian and Pacific
Islander persons having origins in any of the Far East countries, South East Asia,
the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands.
Minority-owned business enterprise - A business enterprise, including
a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation which has been certified as minority-owned
by the Empire State Development's Division of Minority and Women-Owned Business
Development.
Quote - non-binding statement of price, terms of sale, and
description of goods or services offered by a vendor as a basis for negotiations for
entering into a contract.
State Contract - (a) a written agreement or purchase order instrument,
providing for a total expenditure in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00),
whereby the State University of New York ("University") is committed to
expend or does expend funds in return for labor, services including but not limited
to legal, financial and other professional services, supplies, equipment, materials
or an combination of the foregoing, to be performed for, or rendered or furnished
to the University; (b) a written agreement in excess of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000.00) whereby the University is committed to expend or does expend funds for
the acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major repair or renovation
of real property and improvements thereon; and (c) a written agreement in excess of
one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) whereby the University as an owner of a
state assisted housing project is committed to expend or does expend funds for the
acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major repair or renovation of
real property and improvements thereon for such project.
Subcontract - Any agreement for a total expenditure in excess of
$25,000 providing for services, including non-staffing expenditures, supplies or materials
of any kind between a State agency and a prime contractor, in which a portion of the
prime contractor's obligation under the State contract is undertaken or assumed
by a business enterprise not controlled by the prime contractor.
Teaming Agreement - A utilization plan arrangement between two or
more parties, one of which is a certified minority- or women-owned business enterprise,
to perform on a specific State contract if awarded to the team. The team itself may
be a joint venture, or one of the team members may be designated to act as the prime
contractor, and the other member(s) designated to act as subcontractors.
Unbundling - a process whereby the procurement contract is divided
into smaller parts to provide NYS certified MWBEs better access to SUNY's procurement
opportunities. Unbundling can be divided into two types, horizontal and vertical.
The horizontal unbundling divides the procurement contract into multiple lots. Vertical
unbundling divides each lot into different phases of the procurement process. This
offers opportunities for campuses to prepare a bid on one or a larger set of lots,
where each of the phases offers new opportunity for MWBE participation. Procurement
staff may reduce barriers to bid packages by employing the strategy of "unbundling"
projects.
Utilization plan - The plan which must be submitted by a contractor
to a State agency listing certified minority- and/or women-owned business enterprises
that the contractor intends to use in the performance of a proposed State contract,
or any components of the contract scope of work which the contractor intends certified
minority- and/or women-owned business enterprises to perform. The plan shall specifically
contain a list, including the name, address and telephone number of each certified
enterprise with which the contractor intends to subcontract, or otherwise submit in
connection with satisfaction of the contract goals.
Women-owned business enterprise - a business enterprise, including
a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation that has been certified as women-owned
by the Empire State Development's Division of Minority and Women-Owned Business
Development.
7557-101 - M/WBE Contractor Solicitation Letter
7557-102 - M/WBE Participation Quote
7557-103 - M/WBE Contractor Unavailability Certification
7557-104 - MWBE-EEO Policy Statement
7557-105 - M/WBE-EEO Work Plan
7557-106 - Contract Breakdown and Sample
7557-107 - MWBE Utilization Plan
7557-108 - EEO Staffing Plan
7557-109 - Campus Consultant/Contractor Affidavit
7557-110 - EEO Workforce Utilization Report
7557-111 - Monthly MWBE Compliance Report
7557-113 - Quarterly MWBE Compliance Report
7557-114 - Request for Waiver
7557-114a - MWBE Waiver Governor's Office
7557-114b - Pre-RFP Waiver Request Governor's Office
7557-115 - Goal Setting Form
7557-115a - Goal Setting Process - Project Specific Methodology - Compliance Checklist
7557-120 - Compliance Check List
7557-121a - Prospective Bidders Notice Commodities Services
7557-121b - Prospective Bidder's Notice Construction
7557-121c - Prospective Bidder's Notice Construction-Related Consultant Services
7557-122 - MWBE Program Coordinator Designation
7557-123 - Pre-bid Information Script
7557-124 - Good Faith Efforts - Criteria to Evaluate Quality of Design Firm Response (Construction
Consult Selection Process)
7555-15 - Sub-Consultant Staffing List - Architecture and Engineering
7555-16 - Sub-Consultant Staffing List - Construction Management
7555-17 - Sub-Consultant Staffing List - Commissioning
7557-125 - Diversity Practices Scoring Rubric Form
7557-126 - Diversity Practices Scoring Matrix Form
SUNY Policy Document No. 7556 - Procurement Opportunities for New York State Certified Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
On January 25, 2012 the State University of New York Board of Trustee adopted a resolution
on Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBEs) Utilization Reports.
New Rules and Regulations were created and took effect on December 22, 2010, under
5 NYCRR Part 140. On July 15, 2010 New York State passed the Business Diversification
Act, amending Article 15-A.
On April 29, 2010 the New York State Disparity Study was released by Department of
Economic Development Article 15-A of the Executive Law, signed into law on July 19,
1988, authorized the creation of an Office (now Division) of Minority and Women's
Business Development to promote employment and business opportunities on state contracts
for minorities and women.
Memorandum to Presidents 84-3 dated April 6, 1984, Amendment to Policy on Minority
Business Enterprises. On August 3, 1983, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 21
that superseded Executive Order 117 and included women-owned business enterprises.
Memorandum to Presidents 83-8 dated July 1, 1983, Policy on Minority Business Enterprises.
On December 9, 1981, Governor Carey issued Executive Order 117 related to minority-owned
business enterprises.