QUESTION
Council Member Won Asks About Disparity Report Delays
0:44:23
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168 sec
Council Members press for reasons behind the delay of the disparity report, which has not been released since 2018. Michael Garner explains hiring a consultant for a new disparity study, with results expected by November 2024. He also outlines a strategic shift from indiscriminate MWBE certification to a targeted approach, focusing on certification and integration of firms where actual contract opportunities exist, improving the alignment of MWBE certifications with city contract opportunities.
Speaker 2
0:44:23
Could you help me understand why the disparity report has not been released since 2018?
0:44:28
Using 2015 data?
Speaker 6
0:44:30
I'm sorry.
0:44:31
Which report you're won?
Speaker 2
0:44:32
For the disparity report, that is supposed to be done every by 2 every 2 years.
Speaker 6
0:44:38
This is a reason
Speaker 2
0:44:38
why it hasn't been reported since 2018, which uses 2015 data.
Speaker 6
0:44:43
Yeah.
0:44:43
I'll turn it to you, Carter.
0:44:44
But but I know that our colleagues at SBS.
0:44:46
I've been working on it and are planning a lot of work around that.
Speaker 5
0:44:50
So one of one of our our first goals was to hire a consultant to conduct a disparity study.
0:44:59
And I'm I'm happy to say that that that vendor has been hired.
0:45:04
With a goal of coming back with a disparities in November 2024.
0:45:09
And so that contract has been awarded.
0:45:13
We are meeting.
0:45:13
We are having a pre meeting on next week.
0:45:17
And once again, it is February going into March.
0:45:21
The results of that disparity study will be finalized by November 2024.
Speaker 2
0:45:29
So does that mean that we can expect to see a new report out by November 2020.
0:45:34
Yes.
0:45:34
Okay.
Speaker 5
0:45:35
Yes.
0:45:36
Let me also just go back to one of your previous questions and it was indicated that there are more than 10,000 certified MWA's.
0:45:46
Historically speaking, there was an emphasis on certifying companies.
0:45:53
And so a lot of firms were certified who would never get contracts at the city of New York because the goal was on the certification of firms.
0:46:03
We have amended that.
0:46:04
So we are working with SBS and Mocks.
0:46:07
To create a marketing and advertising campaign, to recruit firms where the opportunities are going to be.
0:46:16
What does that mean?
0:46:17
That each agency has a forecast.
0:46:20
And based upon their forecast of what they are going to be procuring within the next 12, 24 months.
0:46:27
What areas are they going to be awarding contracts?
0:46:30
This is how we are setting our MWBE certification outreach as to where the opportunities are going to be.
0:46:37
And so when these firms are now certified, We are working in tandem with Mox and SBS and all the agencies once affirmed to certify to identify a particular contract opportunities at the agencies where we can integrate these certified firms into these opportunities.
0:46:58
So no so no longer are we using a shotgun approach to certify companies, we're using a Pacific approach of where the opportunities are going to be.
Speaker 2
0:47:10
Thank you.
