$2 billion D&I minority contracts at LGA
The recent MWBE milestone
announcement at the LGA Redevelopment
Community office
included Port Authority, Lt.
Gov., elected officials, community
organizers and local recruitment
teams to celebrate an historic
goal in the transformation
of a whole new LaGuardia Airport,
where a record-setting $2
billion in contracts have been
awarded thus far to Minority-
and Women-Owned Business
Enterprises. According to the
Port, This is the largest participation
by MWBE firms at any
public-private partnership project
in New York State history.
The redevelopment project has
also demonstrated a significant
focus on working with locallybased
contractors; to date, $775
million in contracts have been
awarded to Queens-based local
business enterprises.
"Today's milestone is enormously
significant as we work
toward a more inclusive and equitable
economic recovery, and
it is in keeping with our nationleading
goal to increase Minority
and Women-Owned Business
Enterprises participation in
Leading the way for Diversity and Inclusion in Queens (L-R) RGCA Robert Gaskin, RGCA Martine Duphrezin , ELOCOR Larinda Hooks, Assemblyman
Hakeem Jeffries, Lt. Governon Brian Benjamin, Port Executive Director Rock Cotton, Port D&I Chief Carrol Bennett.
public contracts to 30 percent,"
Governor Hochul said. “ As one
of the nation's leading transportation
Delta Air Lines MWBE goals represented by Patty Ornst and Ryan Marzullo.
AIRPORT V 4 OICE, DECEMBER 2021
agencies, the Port Authority
is demonstrating what can be
done to create more equity in our
society and make sure that the
economic benefits of great infrastructure
projects reach all of our
communities."
Lieutenant Governor Brian
Benjamin said, "As we continue
building a whole new LaGuardia
Airport worthy of New Yorkers,
we are also determined to
make sure that the opportunities
this historic project generates
reach all communities. Today's
announcement is a testament
to our commitment to creating a
more equal and equitable economy
for all, and will go a long way
towards achieving our goal of
30 percent MWBE participation.
I applaud the Port Authority for
their unwavering efforts and extensive
outreach that helped us
reach this milestone."
To increase MWBE participation
Business card exhange with Lt. Governor and Chief Executive Officer
of LaGuardia Gateway Partners Frank Scremin.
at the LaGuardia Airport Redevelopment Program, and
across the agency, the Port Authority
and its Office of Diversity
and Inclusion created a variety
of capacity-building programs
that prepared firms to be successful
in navigating what can
at times be complex airport-related
procurements. An academy
for principals at architecture
and engineering firms, contractor
coaching programs that train
firms to apply for Port Authority
contracts and construction
mentoring programs that recruit,
train and mentor MWBE firms to
bid for large public construction
projects sponsored hundreds of
seminars, webinars and forums
to help firms become MWBE certified
and to build the skill sets
needed to be successful in the
field.
The construction of a whole
new LGA has been committed
to sharing economic opportunity
with the surrounding community
from the outset, in concert
with the help of respected
neighborhood-based organizations.
Since 2019, through the
efforts of the LaGuardia Career
Center–a partnership between
the Council for Airport Opportunity,
Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities,
and Neighborhood Housing
Services of Queens–over 600
people have been placed in new
jobs at the airport, nearly twothirds
of which are from Queens.
In 2021 alone, 225 people have
been placed at jobs on-airport,
more than 60% of which are from
Queens.
Port Authority Executive Director
Rick Cotton said, “This
demonstrates that we are committed
to producing results and
not promises when it comes to
our MWBE agenda. And, our
commitment to the communities
has been equally intense. I
am proud to say that the efforts
of our partners, LaGuardia Gateway
Partners and Delta, have
awarded nearly $800 million in
contracts to local Queens busiLGA
GM Tony Vero, Lt. Governon Benjamin, Port Exec. Director Cotton. nesses."