As part of its FY 2025-2029 capital plan, New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has made a commitment “to award a historic amount to historically underutilized businesses . . . , with $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion in contracts to be awarded to New York State Certified Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB), and/or Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE).” In addition to its set-aside goal, MTA proposes to:
- Add 350 new businesses to the agency’s Small Business Mentoring Program, with a commitment to provide up to $400 million in contracts to participating firms.
- Certify 300 more firms as DBEs.
- Add local hiring goals to $5 billion worth of contracts.
“To jump start these efforts,” MTA recently hosted an event for 250 businesses at which MTA prime contractors could connect with potential MWBE subcontractors and graduates of MTA’s Small Business Development Program. MTA chair and CEO Janno Lieber commented, “When we talk about rebuilding and improving the transit system, this includes billions of dollars of work to be done by our diverse contracting community. As the fourth largest employer in the region, the MTA is proud to partner for an equitable and inclusive economy.”