Effort designed to increase future capacity of businesses to win County contracts
RFP available here
MINEOLA – As part of her Administration’s continued efforts to open doors and create opportunities for all residents to participate in County government, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran today announced a “Request for Proposals” (RFP) for a Disparity Study and Consultant Services.
Thanks to a concerted push by County Executive Curran and with bipartisan Legislative support, Nassau County’s capital budget provided $500K for a Disparity Study to gather data about the availability and utilization of Minority, Woman, and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (MWBEs/SDVOBs) in the County. The RFP is open to proposals from consultants with expertise in the preparation of disparity studies and capacity building programs.
“We want our Nassau County based MWBE/SDVOB businesses to grow and thrive, and we know that there is more potential than is presently being tapped into,” said County Executive Laura Curran. “This study, combined with on-going consulting services, will support our mission to expand economic opportunity for all and help entrepreneurs take their business to the next level.”
“The Office of Minority Affairs is pleased to lead the effort to select a consultant to partner with the County in this important study and effort,” said Lionel Chitty, Executive Director of Office of Minority Affairs. “This is a vital step Nassau County is taking to identify where we are falling short and provide a roadmap for positioning our MWBE/SDVOB businesses for greater success in winning County contracts.”
The primary objectives of the draft Disparity Study and Consultant Services contract are to:
- determine the extent to which there exists a disparity between the availability of qualified MWBEs and SDVOBs and their utilization by County agencies.
- determine whether County contracts should be subject to race, gender and or service-disabled veteran status conscious remedial programs supported by State law.
- establish the basis by which the County will determine overall Countywide goals for the participation of MWBEs and SDVOBs in County contracts.
- gather insight concerning where the County is falling short in making maximum use of MWBE/SDVOBs; suggestions on ways to incubate these businesses; review of the current County MWBE/SDVOB program (including any applicable certification requirements) and strategies for better matching capacity with demand.
- better understand the ability of MWBE/SDVOBs to be successful within the County’s shared services initiative where goods and/or services are provided through County or municipal subdivision procurements.
The Curran Administration has taken on a comprehensive effort to establish systems and protocols to promote transparency, fairness, inclusion in County contracting processes, and support for women, minority, and veteran owned businesses. Key Administration initiatives to date include:
- Eliminating a $125 fee for vendors seeking to do business with Nassau County. The fee was a barrier to entry for MWBEs since it had to be paid even before a potential vendor could view available opportunities. Since elimination of the fee, the County has seen a 200% overall boost in vendor registration, including a steady increase among MWBEs.
- Launching a platform in August 2018, the Solicitation Tracking System (STS), to ensure that all departments comply with certain policies regarding MWBE.
- Stepping up efforts by the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA) to support minority-owned businesses through event partnerships, including a supplier diversity program with the Port Authority of NY and NJ; promotion of a recruitment event in connection with the Nassau County Census Count; and co-sponsoring a bidder conference with the Department of Public Works on the Family & Matrimonial Court Construction project.
Those interested can find the RFP in its entirety by going to the Nassau County website.