Efforts to reach out to minority- and women-owned suppliers and subcontractors are heating up as construction on the new $3.9 billion Tappan Zee Bridge accelerates.
Tappan Zee Constructors L.L.C. has filled 15 percent of the required $314 million it must subcontract with minority- or women-owned businesses, leaving many more subcontracting opportunities over the five-year project.
Earlier this month dozens of business representatives attended TZC”™s monthly business meeting about procurement opportunities, including several minority- and women-business owners. The meetings, held on the second Wednesday of every month, are one of the primary ways owners can learn about the procurement process, steps to do business with TZC and where to get assistance.
Less than a quarter of all project-related subcontracts have been awarded so far and over the next month TZC will be looking to fill contracts for more than 20 services and materials. Current contract opportunities are as diverse as providing boring and milling services, to constructing stair towers and mooring cleats.
The $314 million commitment to minority- and women-owned businesses stems from a promise by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, which agreed to subcontract at least 10 percent of all costs associated with the New NY Bridge project with federally certified disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE).
Over the entire construction period, economists predict roughly $5.6 billion will be spent in goods and services, supporting an average 7,728 unique, full-time jobs every year.
Of the 130 subcontractors and supplies working on the project to date, 55 are classified as DBEs, which include minority- or women-owned businesses. About two-thirds of the selected DBEs are based in New York state and about a quarter are based in the Hudson Valley.
“With an infrastructure project of this scale, the roles filled by DBEs are as diverse as the companies themselves and the door of opportunity is just beginning to open,” Brian Conybeare, special adviser to the governor for the New NY Bridge project, said in a press release. “We”™re proud to partner with DBEs and all local companies on this historic project and we value the contributions these highly qualified businesses make.”
By the numbers:
$3.9 billion ”“ total cost of project
$424 million allocated to 130 subcontractors and suppliers so far
$47.4 million allocated to DBEs
21 percent of all subcontracts allocated to date
55 percent of all subcontracts with New York State businesses
12 percent of all subcontracts with Westchester-based businesses
It’s good to make sure contracting programs are open to all, that bidding opportunities are widely publicized beforehand, and that no one gets discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, or sex. But that means no preferences because of skin color, etc. either–whether it’s labeled a “set-aside,” a “quota,” or a “goal,” since they all end up amounting to the same thing. Such discrimination is unfair and divisive; it breeds corruption and otherwise costs the taxpayers and businesses money to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder; and it’s almost always illegal—indeed, unconstitutional—to boot (see 42 U.S.C. section 1981 and this model brief: http://www.pacificlegal.org/page.aspx?pid=1342 ). Those who insist on engaging in such discrimination deserve to be sued, and they will lose.