News from New York State Department of Transportation

For more information contact: Charles Carrier, 518-457-6400

NYSDOT to Hold Certification Workshop for Minority - and Women-Owned Businesses

Sessions Target Southern Tier, Western, Central New York State

ALBANY, NY (09/19/2008; 1233)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn today announced that NYSDOT's Office of Civil Rights will conduct a certification workshop for Disadvantaged and Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses (D/M/WBE) covering Western and Central New York and the Southern Tier. The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) is serving as NYSDOT's partner for the event.

Commissioner Glynn will attend the workshop, which will be held Tuesday, September 23, at the Eisenhart Hall Auditorium in the Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Avenue, in Rochester. A networking session, which will allow D/MWBEs to speak with prime contractors, professional organizations and other D/M/WBE businesses, will follow the workshop.

The Rochester workshop follows a similar event held in April in Buffalo, which more than 100 representatives of firms, prime contractors, consultants, professional organizations and state agencies attended.

"Governor David A. Paterson has been a strong advocate for opening new opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses in all fields across New York State," Commissioner Glynn said. "Helping transportation-related business to obtain DBE and M/WBE certification is one way to ensure that the Department of Transportation can increase their participation in state contracting opportunities."

Commissioner Glynn sits on the M/WBE Leadership Council, a group comprised of commissioners and executive directors from New York State agencies, departments and authorities. Its purpose is to seek recommendations from the agencies and public authorities that award business contracts to the private sector about how to increase the participation of M/WBEs in the state procurement process.

The workshops will inform businesses about their ability to register for the state's M/WBE program and the federal government's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.

During the workshops, NYSDOT Office of Civil Rights and ESDC staff will explain their respective certification processes, as well as the differences between the DBE and state M/WBE programs. Staff will also provide one-on-one assistance in completing the DBE and M/WBE applications. Information also will be provided on consolidating the application process so DBEs can become certified as M/WBEs as well.

Certification and project letting presentations will begin at 3:30 p.m., networking will begin at 5:30 p.m. and one-on-one certification assistance will begin at 7:00 p.m.

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