GNEMSDC 4th Quarterly Meeting & Connecticut Holiday Business Card Exchange
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The GNEMSDC 4th Quarterly Meeting will be hosted by SAI Systems on December 5th from 1:00pm - 4:30pm at 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton, CT.
This Quarterly is hosted by an MBE and as such, the format will be reversed. As a result, we will have corporate showcases from four outstanding corporate members: Pitney Bowes; The Metropolitan District Commission; United Rentals; and Sikorsky Aircraft. This is a wonderful opportunity for MBEs to learn how to do business with these large corporate members. And it is also a great opportunity for corporations to learn how their colleagues are increasing MBE opportunities. Immediately after the Quarterly Meeting will be the Connecticut Holiday Business Card Exchangehosted by SAI Systems on December 5th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm at 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton, CT. This is a wonderful way to close out the year with friends and colleagues from our expanding network. This is a "Must Do" event. For RSVP please contact: jclarke@gnemsdc.org |
Thank You
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| On behalf of the GNEMSDC board of directors, I want to thank our Premier Sponsors of last week's very successful 5th Annual Best Practices Forum at Fenway Park. Premier Sponsors: The Boston Red Sox The Mohegan SunLiberty Mutual State Street Financial Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Partners Healthcare The Boston Foundation National Grid We had over 200 attendees, representing corporate members and MBEs from around the region. I also want to thank the speakers and panelist that made for great sharing of best practices. Panelists and Speakers: Travis McCready, The Boston Foundation Jill Griffin, The Massachusetts Gaming Commission Judith Maloy, Polaris Direct Brad Artery, RBS-Citizens Bank Delano "Joe" Brooks, Essex Newbury North Contracting Corporation It was great partnering with the Center for Women Enterprises, the regional affiliate of WBENC. We also could not have done this without the support of Donna Gittens of More Advertising. And a special thanks to Julio Juene of the Boston Red Sox for arranging for the Boston Red Sox to be World Champions this year and having the trophies there for our event! |
DATE CHANGE: Boston Holiday Business Card Exchange
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Attend the Boston Holiday Business Card Exchange hosted by Prince Lobel on December 10th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at 100 Cambridge St., Suite 2200, Boston, MA
Please note the change in date to December 10th. Join us as we celebrate accomplishments of 2013 andmake additional networking connections before the end of the year. RSVP to Sarah James: sjames@gnemsdc.org. Learn more here. |
| GNEMSDC 2014 Upcoming Events | ||
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Corporate Member of the Week:
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 Congratulations to our Corporate Member of the Week, Abt Associates! Abt Associates became a National Corporate Member in 2013 and will be working closely with GNEMSDC.
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MBE of the Week:
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 All of Yumi's products replace plastics made from fossil fuels. Did you know that plastics: Yumi EcoSolutions markets sustainable products that replace plastic made from fossil fuels.
Yumi is a contestant in the "Mission Main Street" program organized by JP Morgan Chase that could land Yumi a $250,000.00 grant. NMSDC President and CEO, Joset Wright is one of the judges in this contest. Not that I am trying to provide undue influence on this esteemed judge, well the fact of the matter is, I am trying to provide undue influence. In all seriousness we wish Yumi the best and congratulate JP Morgan Chase on this innovative approach to support small minority businesses.
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Dr. Fred Speaking at South Florida MSDC Annual Expo
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| On December 6, Dr. Fred will be speaking at the South Florida Minority Supplier Development Council Symposium 2013 at Broward College in Pembroke Pines, Florida. "The Symposium will focus on strategies & techniques to thrive in a changing economy. Minority Business Enterprises will learn proven methods for growth & how to increase competitiveness. Corporations & government agencies will learn from a leading expert on effective implementation of policies, strategies and programs to increase the Supplier Diversity process." I hope to see some of my good friends in South Florida and meet some new ones as well. For more information visit http://www.sfmsdc.org/. |
Upcoming Events
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There are several events coming up on our calendar that are designed specifically for MBEs to learn about corporate opportunities. We know how busy everyone's schedule is, but these are events often hosted by our corporate members with the expressed purpose of finding out more about you and your business with the ultimate aim, to make you a valuable supplier to their companies. Here are some events you should consider:
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ACA November update from Small Business Majority:
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 Small Business Majority is excited to continue our monthly briefing calls for business organizations interested in learning about the latest developments in healthcare reform. These calls will help you stay informed about new benefits and rules affecting the small business community as we move closer to full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. This month we will be discussing the latest information available on the rollout of SHOP in Federally Facilitated Marketplaces, the current special SHOP enrollment period, and new resources available to small employers as they work to navigate the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Join us on this free call! Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Time: 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM (EST). |
GNEMSDC Bridgeport MBDA Center Opening:
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The Stamford Advocate and the Connecticut Post published an article about the Bridgeport MBDA Business Center opening last week. The Bridgeport MBDA Business Center is operated by the GNEMSDC. The center will focus on the development of all MBEs, but has a particular interest in growing Native American businesses around the country. The winning of this contract is evidence of the confidence the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency has in the GNEMSDC. The Center will receive $255,000 per year in funding over the next four years.
Learn more here. |
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Forum Summary
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On November 14th, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, in conjunction with support from GNEMSDC and CWE-WBENC, proudly hosted the organization's 1st Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Forum at our Wellesley Gateway office. The goal of this event was to increase and expand our commitment to diverse suppliers in the communities we serve. With approximately 100 suppliers and 40 Harvard Pilgrim purchasers in attendance, the event created opportunities for minority and woman owned suppliers, and Harvard Pilgrim purchasers, to network, learn more about one another and discuss potential business opportunities and needs. The night began with welcome remarks from Maria Shakes, HPHC Purchasing, Andie Kim, Director GNEMSDC, Jodi Baier, Manager CWE-WBENC and David Westervelt, HPHC V.P. Finance and concluded with one on one networking opportunities with suppliers and purchasers representing IT, marketing, sales and varied commodities and services. Continued...
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Invitation for Bid
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Opportunities
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Advertisement for MBE Subcontractors
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Posting I:
Integrated Design & Construction, LLC is seeking prospective employee for the following positions;
construction management and administration staff as follows:
Project Manager: 7-10 yrs. experience in Commercial, Institutional or Mixed use facilities in the Hartford/Tolland counties area (Project Management, Estimating, Scheduling, etc.). Construction Field or Design experience a Plus.
Assistant Project Manager: 3-5 yrs. experience (similar to above)
For inquiries and submissions please contact Thaddeus M. Stewart at: 203.909.6559
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Posting II:
Agency Name: Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Official Title: Edp Systems Analyst III
Functional Title: Edp Systems Analyst III
Occupational Group: Information Technology
Agency Name: Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Official Title: Computer Operator I
Functional Title: Computer Operator I
Occupational Group: Information Technology
Agency Name: Dept. of Revenue
Official Title: Tax Examiner III
Functional Title: Tax Examiner III
Occupational Group: Budget & Accounting
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Solicitation for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE and WBE)
Associated Construction Company seeks letters of interest from qualified and certified minority business enterprises (MBE and WBE) for the following bid packages relating to a high end corporate dining facility located in the greater Hartford Area. The project consists of a first class corporate kitchen, servery and dining seating space. The total facility will occupy 36,500sf., of which 21,000sf. will be new construction and 15,500sf. will be renovation of existing space. Upon prequalification, bids from subcontractors will be received during the months of November and December. The work will take place from March 2014 through June 2015. Interested contractors may inquire by sending a Letter of Interest, Company Profile, List of Similar Projects and Certification via email to Joseph Jankowski at jdj@accgc.com on or before November 1, 2013. Learn more here.
The Associated Construction Company is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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| FYI |
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| 2013 Business Opportunity Expo Survey |
If you haven't already completed the Survey which was sent to individual emails, please feel free to click on the link below and share your experiences.
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The GNEMSDC Community Business School
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| This year we have introduced a very successful GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program that featured Ivy League Business school professors from Yale and Harvard along with CEOs from our corporate membership. In February we will run our first "Growing MBEs to Scale" program that is designed to help our MBEs grow - profitably. (More on this program next week,) And we are also planning to work with UCONN, NU, SCORE and our corporate members to mentor early stage businesses. So we are very active in the area of MBE development. So it is not like we have a lot of free time on our hands at the GNEMSDC, or that we are not involved with MBE development, but there are circumstances that demand our attention, and more importantly our action. One of the things that has become crystal clear since moving to Bridgeport, is that there is not an institution in the City or region that creates a culture for entrepreneurship for minority business owners and would-be entrepreneurs. Our response to this is to fill a need that I believe can be the key to the economic resurgence of the region and minority businesses throughout our network. There are simply not the number of minority owned businesses and minority owned suppliers that are starting or locating in the urban centers. This problem is not unique to Bridgeport. We see this in urban centers across our region. I recently asked Jose Colon in our office to do some analysis on MBEs located within the City of Boston, the largest market in our region. I needed this information in preparation for a meeting with Boston Mayor Elect Marty Walsh that took place this past Friday. (More on this meeting in a future report, but I will share with you that I was impressed with the knowledge and commitment of the incoming Mayor on issues important to MBE development.) What Mr. Colon found in his research was that we have only 13 certified MBEs that are located within the city limits of Boston! The numbers in Bridgeport are even worse. These are the largest cities in Massachusetts and Connecticut. There is no magic bullet to solve this problem, but I believe we as an organization need to do more within these large urban centers that have the largest minority populations. But one part of this solution will necessarily include business education and development. We offer development support for our suppliers, which is great, but we need to do more. The GNEMSDC Community Business School (GCBS) is our humble attempt to improve business information to residents of Bridgeport. The GCBS will meet every Saturday morning starting the third Saturday in January 2014. The program will be free and open to anyone interested in learning more about how to start, manage and grow a business. I will donate my time each Saturday morning and will be asking our MBEs and corporate members to consider donating some of their time to share their wisdom and stories with entrepreneurs who have dreams, but very few resources or connections to help them understand the nature of business or to encourage them to pursue those dreams. There are countless examples where entrepreneurial businesses grow in a geographic area because there is a place for entrepreneurs to convene, compare notes, compete in the market of ideas and get inspiration for success. I believe the GCBS s consistent with our mission of growing minority suppliers. We not only have to grow existing suppliers, we have to grow and inspire future suppliers. This effort not only will benefit those entrepreneurs and the communities where they live. This effort will benefit our corporate members as well. |
And Finally...
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In 2012 the GNEMSDC was instrumental in convincing the State of Connecticut to invest in a disparity study. The last disparity study the State conducted was over 30 years ago and was the basis for their current supplier diversity program. The State's current goal is that 25 percent of all State contracts are targeted to small businesses and 25 percent of that small business goal is targeted to state certified WBEs OR MBEs. The key word in the current law is OR. Another way of looking at it, and the way the State of CT seems to look at is that 93.75 percent of State contracts are reserved for non-minority, non-women owned enterprises.
The State and most of the agencies area in compliance with the goals by utilizing State certified MBEs with only a very small utilization of State certified MBEs. The last Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities report on contract compliance illustrated that State spending with certified MBEs is below 2 percent of State contracts.
The purpose of the new disparity study was to change the goals of the program and to change the rules so that WBEs and MBEs are not competing for the same allocation of contract dollars. I have said on numerous occasions; this is not about taking anything away from legitimate WBEs, this is about growing the goals for MBEs and WBEs and ending the institutional hostility created between WBEs and MBEs resulting from this broken system.
The disparity study was initially funded at $1 million, which would have attracted the best companies in the country that do this kind of work. However, because of budgetary problems in 2012, $500,000 of that money was cut. I was called to a meeting with Senator Toni Harp and State Representative Toni Walker, both of New Haven to look at an alternative and to discuss if it were still possible to conduct a study for half the amount of money.
The "two Tonis" called be back to the State Capitol to introduce me to an quasi State organization called Connecticut Association of State Engineers (CASE). CASE had never conducted a disparity study, but because they are an analytical arm of the State Legislature with skills in social and statistical analysis, they were convinced, partly by myself, that they could do it for the $500,000 allocated. It was my feeling that a $500,000 study would move the needle and could result in the fastest way to improve the broken State of Connecticut Supplier Diversity Program and make it more reflective of current demographic and minority business community today.
I recommended that CASE use some academic resources that I knew could assist in guiding them through this study. I also informed both Tonis and CASE, that because of my advocacy role, I did not want there to be any confusion about my role or the role of the GNEMSDC. I informed CASE and the two Tonis that I did not and would not accept any work on this project in any way, but would be willing to serve as a pro-bono resource.
About one month ago, CASE released its report. The report makes a number of observations that I believe are on target. They do recommend a separation of goals for WBEs and MBEs. But on the crucial issue of what those goals should be, the CASE report is silent and punts because of the "lack of data". The State's data, as all data is imperfect. CASE recommends that the State invest, perhaps millions of dollars on a system that would better track MBE and WBE spend. And that this investment would need to happen before definitive goals could be established. They recommend that until this occurs, the current goals should remain in place. CASE also estimates that this unacceptable status quo should last until 2017-2018.
I have had some time to think about where we are and where we are going in the State with MBE development. It is my view, that while the State is getting its act together with its information systems, there is no need to wait in the establishment of new goals for MBE and WBE spend. And the State of Connecticut need look no further than our neighbor to the north. Massachusetts has one of the better MBE/WBE programs in the country, and they have achieved this not with a disparity study, but withExecutive Orders from former Governor William Weld and current Governor Duval Patrick. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on a percentage basis spends over 10 times the amount of money with MBEs that the State of Connecticut does. The result in MA is because of executive leadership. I encourage Governor Malloy to adopt a similar approach to MBE development. If it works in Massachusetts, it can work in Connecticut.
I implore Governor Malloy to accept the CASE report and to state unequivocally that the current system is broken and that it is in the economic interest of the State of Connecticut to increase MBE participation on State contracts to a minimum of 10 percent. I also believe the State of Connecticut should set a WBE goal of at least 15 percent. If the State of Connecticut could achieve 10 percent MBE spend, unemployment in our urban communities of Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Britain and other hard hit urban communities would be dramatically reduced. If the State could achieve 10 percent MBE spend, the rate of criminality would be reduced. In addition, we would see more sustainable neighborhoods, greater tax revenues, reduced state expenditures on everything from health care to the cost of warehousing our citizens in State prisons. This is a win-win. Supporting MBE and WBE development is not a zero sum game, unless it is institutionalized in the way the current system does. Non-minority and non-women owned enterprises would gain from this change because more business for MBEs and WBEs means more business for everyone. Growing MBEs and WBEs would buy more from goods and services from all CT businesses not just other MBEs and WBEs.
Leadership demands that elected leaders take risks for the interest of the greater good. I can think of no better way that Governor Malloy can improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Connecticut citizens. Perhaps I am naive or overly idealistic, but perhaps the inadequacy of the CASE report is just the spur that was needed to demonstrate that change is in order and that it is time for leaders to act like leaders.
In your service
Dr. Fred
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