AIRPORT V 32 OICE, DECEMBER 2020
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* For eligible full-time students. See full details at vaughn.edu.
MWBE Update
30% goal in sight
In 2011, Governor Cuomo set
a goal of utilizing MWBEs for 20
percent of state contracting, and
two years later, that goal was surpassed.
In 2014, Governor Cuomo
raised the goal to 30 percent, the
highest MWBE utilization target
in the nation. In the years since,
New York State has made real
progress toward that goal, including
achieving 29.51 percent utilization
in the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year.
“As we continue to face challenges
with the COVID-19 pandemic,
we are committed to building
back better and building
businesses better to create opportunities,
jobs and strengthen our
economy. New York continues to
be a leader in economic empowerment
and contracting opportunities
for MWBEs, with our MWBE
utilization rate increasing closer
to our nation-leading goal of 30 percent
and awarding more contracts
to support MWBEs and businesses
across the state.”
In addition to these MWBE program
achievements, as of August
31, contracts awarded to certifi ed
MWBEs at the LaGuardia Airport
Redevelopment Program have exceeded
$1.58 billion, the largest
for any public-private partnership
project in New York State and has
also met Governor Cuomo’s goal
of 30 percent MWBE participation.
The Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey’s $8 billion
project, two-thirds of which is
funded through private fi nancing
and existing passenger fees, broke
ground four years ago in 2016. The
new Terminal B is being built by
LaGuardia Gateway Partners and
its contractor, SkanskaWalsh. The
new Terminal C is being built by
Delta Air Lines.
Cuomo has repeatedly said that
the key to the steady increase in
New York State’s utilization rate is
the development of a sustainable,
coordinated MWBE program that
combines aggressive outreach to
businesses, sustained engagement
of state agencies and authorities,
and robust technical assistance options
for business owners.
Small biz lease assistance
Pro Bono legal provided
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES
LAUNCH OF NEW
YORK FORWARD SMALL BUSINESS
LEASE ASSISTANCE
PARTNERSHip that will prpvide
\Small Businesses and Landlords
with Pro Bono Legal Assistance
to Renegotiate Lease Terms
in Wake of COVID-19
Governor Cuomo said. “The
COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on
the economy has been nothing
short of devastating, and through
partnerships such as this, we can
help to alleviate the burdens many
business owners are facing. While
a moratorium on commercial evictions
is currently in place, this
new public-private partnership
will help provide an additional
level of stability for small businesses
and ensure they are able
to play a role in helping build New
York’s economy back better than
before.”
As part of this program, Empire
State Development is partnering
with the New York State Bar Association
and Start Small Think
Big, a New York-based non-profi t
organization dedicated to supporting
small, under-resourced
entrepreneurs with high-quality
professional services. For this
partnership, Start Small will be offering
pro bono legal services from
its network of more than 1,000 attorneys,
to commercial tenants and
landlords seeking lease amendments
to cope with the impacts of
COVID-19. The New York State Bar
Association has served as the voice
of the state’s legal profession for
more than 140 years and will support
the recruitment and training
of additional volunteer attorneys.
The Small Business Lease Assistance
Partnership website includes
information on the lease renegotiation
process and details the
different types of lease workouts
available to help small businesses
cope with the fi nancial impacts of
COVID-19. Those interested in pro
bono assistance to initiate a lease
renegotiation are encouraged to
review and complete the partnership’s
intake form. After completing
the form, each small business
will receive an email detailing an
estimated timeline for placement
with a volunteer attorney.
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