Executive Director's Focus (Access to Capital)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a final rulemaking that will help economically and socially disadvantaged businesses take advantage of opportunities to participate in federally funded highway, transit and airport projects. The final rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today, will also hold states and local agencies more accountable for including disadvantaged businesses in their transportation plans

“When we help small businesses, we’re helping to get the economy going,” said Secretary LaHood. “This rule will help small and disadvantaged businesses get a fair shot at participating in state and local transportation projects.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program helps small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals compete for government contracts. The Department also requires state and local transportation agencies to establish goals for DBE participation.

The Department of Transportation’s new rulemaking will require greater accountability from state and local transportation agencies for including disadvantaged businesses in their spending plans. Those that fail to meet established goals for DBE participation will be required to evaluate why the goals were not met and offer a plan to help meet the goal in the future.

In addition, the final rule will adjust the personal net worth limit for DBE owners for inflation from the present $750,000 to $1.32 million. The current limit was set in 1989 and has not been adjusted since.

The Department of Transportation’s rulemaking will also add provisions to ensure that prime contractors fulfill commitments to use DBE subcontractors. State and local agencies will be required to monitor each contract to make sure prime contractors are fulfilling their obligations and do not dismiss DBE subcontractors without good cause. The rule also requires state and local agencies to create a plan for improving the use of small businesses, including DBEs.

Another major change under the rulemaking will reduce burdens on small businesses seeking DBE certification in more than one state. As a result of today’s rulemaking, all states will be required to accept DBE certifications obtained in other states, unless the state finds good cause not to accept it. The rule establishes a process for resolving issues with respect to eligibility raised by states concerning out-of-state firms.

The Department anticipates issuing a proposed rulemaking to make changes in its regulation for airport concession DBEs paralleling those in today’s final regulation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s final rule to improve the DBE Program appeared on the Federal Register’s Electronic Public Inspection Desk today. For the full Federal Register notice Download .

A-Plus Welding and Ironworks was established in 2008. They are a small local company of Ironworkers located in Roxbury Massachusetts. Everyone thought that it was a difficult time to start a business because of the economy and deep national recession. Banks were not lending, and were actually rescinding lines of credit. Larger construction firms were going bankrupt thus crippling the smaller companies that were doing subcontracting work. Conducting business in Massachusetts as a minority company has had its difficulties and set backs. Mr. Jordans friends were losing their jobs and their homes. As a result Mr. Jordan decided to take a chance and thus A-Plus Welding was established and became the catalyst to creating jobs and working towards rebuilding the infrastructure in Massachusetts.

As an Ironworker he was familiar with Infrastructures. Bridge repair, Tunnels, Highways, and Waterways and knew there was a need for repairs. He and his employees wanted to make a difference, wanted to create wealth for himself and his family and wanted to participate in the new Massachusetts economy. Being certified as a DBE, and MBE by the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office and participating in their technical assistance program is making a difference in how I am moving my company forward. The agency is going beyond certification and it is making a big difference to small firms such as A-Plus Welding and Iron Works.

His company is currently working on the Neponset River Bridge Rehab Project with the JF. White Co. where they are reinforcing the Bridge with more than a hundred tons of rebar to make it safe. They are also contracted to work on the Four Corners MBTA Station along the Fairmont Corridor which will service the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan communities and is currently bidding on an opportunity at Massport. A-Plus Welding and Iron Works believes in quality workmanship in every aspect of what they do and believes that helping others is the most important job they can have.

For more pictures click here.

       Edible Arrangements

Edible Arrangements in South Boston recently marked it's third anniversary and it's first in their new location at 327 West Broadway, South Boston. Toya Farrar, franchise owner for the South Boston store opened her doors in 2007 to help children and adults discover a fresh and unique way to eating healthy. Edible Arrangements creates floral sculpted fruit from fresh pineapples, strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. In addition, the store offers apples, oranges, bananas, and pineapples dipped in gourmet chocolate.

Farrar attributes the assistance received from the SDO last year in receiving a loan through funds made available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed by President Barack Obama to help fund her relocation from East Broadway to West Broadway in South Boston. With the help from the local community and her staff, she was able to turn a difficult situation into a successful move. Aligned with Farrar's optimistic attitude, the store's mission is to provide superior customer service and delivery a quality product that surpasses expectations. Farrar and her staff aims to "WOW" every customer.

Farrar is the only SDO certified Edible Arrangements franchisee is Massachusetts and also the recipient of the 2010 Women of Courage and Conviction Award presented by the national Council of Negro Women Greater Boston Section. She is an active member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the South Boston Chamber of Commerce. Farrar also partners with local churches and schools to donate extra fruit. She aims to help everyone get more fruit into their diets for a healthier lifestyle.

       Westnet, Inc.

Westnet, Inc. wanted to take this opportunity to keep the certified business community up to date with the progress of their business and provide some information which may be helpful to "fellow entrepreneurs".

The Supplier Diversity Office as well as others have contributed to Westnet as well as his personal growth in leadership. As the company has been fortunate to capture business locally "the jury has been out" toward his confidence of developing a relationship with a National let alone Worldwide organization. He found it difficult for diverse businesses to meet the needs of a National and International organizations which promoted supplier diversity yet appeared structured to purchase from entities which have National and International "reach". He believed significant creativity and an abandonment from traditional practices would have to take place. He also believed that he would not experience an opportunity any time soon. He has indicated that he was wrong!

Recently Pfizer and Westnet agreed (signed contract) to establish a business relationship whereby, Westnet Inc. distribute (sell and deliver) to Pfizer BD products relative to their Research and Life Science needs. In addition, Pfizer qualified its objectives and intentions of providing continuous opportunities (increase procurement of other products) to Westnet given the success of the initial agreement. This is an important achievement to Westnet Inc. yet it is of equal importance, if not more in which the manner this development took place.

Westnet, Inc. had been introduced to Pfizer at The New England and National Minority Supplier Development Council's Conferences in Foxwoods and Miami. Ms. Gwendolyn Turner, Director of Supplier Diversity for Pfizer facilitated the communication and coordination that ensured a matching of goods and services of Westnet Inc. to respective procurement personnel. Their introduction to procurement was met with a sincere and genuine response toward developing a relationship which has now resulted in the above mentioned business relationship.

Mr. Thompson indicated "I find great significance in this scenario to the Supplier Diversity Office and the New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Ms. Turner, the procurement community of Pfizer, and Pfizer as a whole for demonstrating a genuine commitment to a diverse and local business, I don't believe it will stop with Westnet."

       B.D. Nayak Architects & Planners, Inc.

B. D. Nayak Architect and Planner received a 2010 Best of Business Award in the Architects category from the Small Business Commerce Association. The Best of Business Award program consisted of 5 million nominees across all 50 states in 2500 cities. Mr. Nayak's company has been certified as an MBE since 1985; previously, he won awards for his work from Mayor Menino and the Mass Housing Finance Agency. He designed the new Cruise port in Gloucester and the Radisson Hotel in Brockton, see the enclosed images.

B. D. specializes in Master Planning, Urban Design & site planning, Architectural Design, Engineering Services, Interior Design, Landscape, Facade Designs, to see more of his work visit
www.nayak-architects.com/

DBE Supportive Services Program
The DBE SS Program is an initiative funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and facilitated through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The DBE SS Program is administered by Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) and includes a DBE SS Advisory Board, an Opportunities Database, Getting Connected events, Match Making events, and a "Doing Business with MassDOT" brochure. The program also includes a business development tract which features classroom-style curriculum geared towards the individual business as well as specialized business development. SDO has recruited 15 ready, willing, and able DBEs to participate in the 2011 DBE SS Business Development Tract Program. If you are a RWA and are interested in the business tract portion of the program, please contact Brian Ross at 617-973-8574 or Mary Richmond at 617-973-8696.

DBE SS Advisory Board
The Advisory Board has taken on the role of drafting a charter for its direction in how best to identify, analyze and recommend initiatives that will have a positive impact on the DBE Supportive Services Program. A system has been established to track important information and issues of which the Advisory Board may be able to offer resources and assistance to the overall success of the DBE-SS Program.

Opportunities Database
The goal of the database is to increase DBE participation on federally-funded highway construction projects. The Opportunities Database tracks survey responses from DBEs and Prime Contractors. The scope of work items related to highway construction will be listed for Primes and DBEs to assist SDO in matching Prime Contractors' needs with available DBEs and the DBEs specific items of competencies. The database will be posted for use by Prime Contractors and DBEs alike to promote new relationships and business activity. The data base will list nearly 300 prime contractors and well over 100 DBE firms. If you have not submitted your response to the survey or have a question relative to the survey, please do so or contact Mary Richmond at 617-973-8696 for assistance.

Get Connected Events
The "Get Connected" knowledge seminars are a series of events geared towards providing technical assistance, access to resources, and networking opportunities for the SDO's portfolio of clients.

Recently the DBE-SS conducted an "Access to MassDOT Contracting Opportunities session" held on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA. Representatives from MassDOT took DBE participants for a live, in-depth tour of the MassDOT and Comm-PASS websites. Participating firms learned not only where and how to access contracting opportunity information but how to use the information for greater success in their bidding efforts.

The following "Get Connected" events are being sponsored on a monthly basis, you can register to participate by contacting SDO directly or you can click on the indicator below.

"Get Connected":
Access to Sales and Marketing               March 14, 2011, 10:00 A.M.
Access to Bonding                                      April 4, 2011, 10:00 A.M.
Access to Leadership and Strategy       May 10, 2011, 9:30 A.M.                                Click Here to Register

       Western Mass Development Collaborative

The Western Mass Development Collaborative (WMDC) is a private, non-profit development corporation devoted to strengthening small-business enterprises, promoting job growth, developing commercial & residential centers and their families.

We can identify public or private institutions willing to work with small businesses that require capital to maintain or grow their business - even if their credit is less than perfect!