Other Publications

Published by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd.

The State of New York’s disparity study analyzed the state’s underutilization of Minority and Woman-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) at the prime contract and subcontract levels across four industries: construction, construction-related services, non-construction related services, and commodities and other services. The study found that MWBE utilization was disproportionately lower than MWBE availability in every category of state contracting. The study specifically found disparities across racial groups including Black Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Asian-Indian Subcontinent Americans, and Hispanic Americans. The prime contract utilization analysis examined $63,391,070,587 of the State’s procurements and expenditures on prime contracts awarded during the April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2015, study period. A total of 56,065 prime contracts were analyzed, which included 10,134 for construction, 2,785 for construction related services, 5,427 for non-construction related services, and 37,719 for commodities and other services. The State subcontractor utilization analysis examined $644,483,321 expended on subcontracts awarded by the State’s prime contractors from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2015. A total of 4,295 subcontracts were analyzed, which included 2,857 for construction, 1,025 for construction-related services, and 413 for non-construction related services.

Published by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd.

Volume II of the State of New York's Policy Review Report provided race and gender-neutral recommendations to mitigate the disparities in MWBE participation on state contracts. The study recommended enhancements to the MWBE Program Components of by streamlining the MWBE certification process, (1) modifying the certification application for new businesses, (2) reviewing the certification application for completeness within 30 days, (3) authorizing and training the entrepreneurial assistance program to certify certification applications as complete, (4) providing pre-application training sessions, (5) establishing a hotline number and website to receive public reports of certification fraud, (6) establishing penalties for submission of fraudulent applications, (7) developing a “train the trainer” program, and (8) revamping the recertification application requirements and required documents.

Published by Keen Independent Research for City of Madison, Wisconsin

This study assisted in determining if there is a level playing field for minority and women-owned firms when competing for the City of Madison’s public works contracts and subcontracts. About 2 percent of businesses related to public works construction contracting in Dane County are owned by racial and ethnic minorities. About 7 percent of public works contracting businesses are owned by non-minority women. Minority residents comprise 15 percent and women are 49 percent of the Dane County workforce. The study team identified 600 City-funded public works contracts totaling $331 million awarded from 2008 through 2013. Minority-owned firms received about $6 million in City-funded public works contract dollars from 2008 through 2013, including subcontracts. The study team concluded that the small business enterprise (SBE) Program encouraged MBE and women-owned businesses (WBE) utilization to the point that there were no disparities between the utilization and dollar-weighted availability of minority and women-owned firms on City-funded contracts. This is because of low current availability of minority and women-owned firms for this work after considering the types and sizes of prime contracts and subcontracts. Therefore, it appears that the SBE Program alone does not create a level playing field for minority and women-owned firms in City public works contracting.