QUESTION
Council Member Won Explores MOCS's Role in MWBE Procurement and Barriers to Entry
0:47:12
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3 min
Council Member Julie Won delves into the Mayor's Office of Contract Services' (MOCS) specific responsibilities and achievements concerning Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) procurement. Examining MOCS’s role in managing reports, legislative advancements, and procurement tools designed to aid MWBE participation, Won highlights the efforts to mitigate barriers to entry. She also inquires about language accessibility in MWBE registration and certification processes, pointing out limitations in the current system.
Speaker 2
0:47:12
What data does mock track and analyze regarding MWDEs on small business utilization across any procurements, as you have said that for certification dates backlog, etcetera, that it is not part of your purview.
0:47:24
It's in SBS.
0:47:25
So what is under your purview?
Speaker 6
0:47:28
Thank you, chair 1.
0:47:29
So in the MWD program, generally, which we would call the administrative code 6129.
0:47:35
We call it local l1.
0:47:36
Some people call it local l174.
0:47:38
Within 6129, it lays out pretty specific paradigm of the roles of, I would say, the 3 main agencies, that being small business services, Mox and, of course, the office of MWA, So within that, we all have certain distinct roles.
0:47:51
As we pointed out, I would say probably the most crucial one, of course, is Mox does manage the local l one reporting in the first instance.
0:47:58
It must be emphasized the fact that on those reports, of course, we work with SBS, and we work with chief garnishment team.
0:48:04
We also work with our agencies with extensive turnaround documents, which are very laborious for them.
0:48:09
So we do a significant amount of reporting regarding MWD procurement.
0:48:13
We have those quarterly local one reports which are posted.
0:48:16
There is a year end summation report, and, of course, our annual indicators report will will include base data there.
0:48:23
MWE focused like the local L1 report.
0:48:26
So there's that role.
0:48:27
There's also several distinct procurement roles, so there are certain times when DUV issues are procurement issues of can you have x or y in a contract that will, of course, come to mocks a huge, huge, huge role that we I think chief garner started to emphasize and executive deputy commissioner Austin also emphasized are these legislative gains that we've had in the last few years.
0:48:48
So we look at procurement tools.
0:48:50
One of the key things for Moxie is we want to deliver our agencies the tools they need to be able to achieve the goals that the mayor has set them, that the city demands.
0:48:58
So we talk about uping to $1,500,000 in an uncompetitive small purchase.
0:49:03
We were able to implement that from the governor signing it to being operational for agent in 8 days.
0:49:09
That compares to 8 months the last time around.
0:49:12
Through great partnership with the controller's office, through great partnership with our agencies, with the law department, everybody of saying, how can we move legal ability into operational results for the city?
0:49:22
That's exactly what we're looking at.
0:49:23
So Mox's role, we have a lot of things under 6129 that we have to do, but but by far the most important is, I think, working with their partners at SBS and WWE to find those new tools for agencies, not get those small purchase.
0:49:35
MWD only p PQL, which DDC has championed.
0:49:39
So many of these tools that we can create, and also breaking down the barriers to entry.
0:49:43
Because even if they're universally applicable, those barriers to entry, whether it be public hearing, something that we're working on right now, EO 102, those Those barriers to entry, of course, disproportionately harm our MWDs or small businesses because those are the ones that are least able to bear it.
0:49:58
So all of that work, I think, is crucial to the heart of Marx.
Speaker 2
0:50:01
For barriers to entry, what languages are available for MWA's to register and certify and use passport?
Speaker 6
0:50:09
I can get back to you on the exact number of languages.
0:50:12
I do know in in 2022, we did an extensive language access program that we worked with you with.
0:50:17
I can can certainly give you any updated numbers since that time.
Speaker 2
0:50:20
Okay.
0:50:21
Because I just wanna put on the record, passport still has not added any new languages other than English.
Speaker 6
0:50:26
I'll certainly follow-up with you in that regard.