Established in 2009, Down Home Delivery & Catering is a 100% minority-owned family run business that operates from their new facility at 2 Bowdoin Street in Dorchester, MA.

The owner, Gary Webster indicates that chefs Daren Payne and Will Webster have 15 years of experience in the food industry and work daily to prepare all traditional soul food favorites. The company currently has eight employees.

Recently certified with the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office on September 30, 2010 as a minority business enterprise (MBE) and a disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) had its Grand Opening on November 16th 2010. There were over 100 people in attendance including State Representative and Chairperson of the Small Business Committee, Linda Dorcena Forry, City Councilor Charles Yancey, Darryl Smith, Associate Commissioner from the Inspectional Services Department, Andre Porter, Director of the Commonwealths Small Business and Entrepreneurism Department and Reggie Nunnally, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office. Nunnally commended Mr. Webster and his family for investing in the business and the community in these difficult economic times. “It’s businesses like this that create the jobs in these challenged neighborhoods and it’s people like the Webster family that are helping to turn the economy around one job at a time.”

If you would like more information regarding the Down Home Delivery & Catering call (617) 288-0813

       General Safety Services, Corp.

General Safety Services Corp, also known as GSS Corp, is a full service commercial exterior Building Maintenance Company best known for its high-rise window cleaning and Fall Protection services. GSS holds some of the largest window cleaning contracts in the area and prides itself on its ability to manage large projects, such as; Logan International Airport, the MIT campus, TF Green Airport and Manchester Airport to name a few.

Our primary goal is safety, because in our line of work, people's lives are always on the line, hence our well known tag line, "Safety is our middle name." GSS started in 2004 out of sheer frustration over so many needless deaths surrounding the industry. The owner, Nardine Bellew, had a special interest in keeping window cleaners safe because her son was a high-rise window washer too.

Since the industry was male dominated, and a tough one to boot, Ms Bellew decided to help "level the playing field," by applying for her WBE & DBE Certifications in 2005. While she cannot directly connect any given contract to the certifications alone, it certainly opened doors that would have been slammed shut otherwise. In today's economic climate with stimulus money being handed out by the government, they (government) are designating more money be available to small businesses, minority and disadvantaged business enterprises. Our phone has been ringing off the hook lately by large construction companies looking for us to sub-contract under them. It is these large companies that wouldn't have considered us in the past but because of our certifications are now seeking to partner with us. SDO's UCP certification investigator, Ms. Wanda Colon, has been very professional and timely in processing our certification information which insures that our company continues to have that leading edge when in comes to doing business in the male dominated field of window cleaning.

Technical Assistance

Build knowledge and capacity so companies can successfully bid and compete for contracts. Using a one stop model, the program provides education and training for minority or women owned businesses to enhance growth and development through best practices, partnerships and training opportunities. World-class training, consultation, business coaching as well as access to capital will be provided for these businesses.

We are partnering with the following public, non-profit and private sector companies to help deliver these services. Program Participants will receive a business evaluation, educational services, training; and insight and preparation for upcoming bid opportunities.

In 2007 The State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) approached Turner Construction in Boston regarding their Turner School of Construction Management Training program for W/MBEs. Turner Construction is recognized as one of the leading general builders in the U.S. and has an outstanding track record in the utilization of M/WBEs on its projects. This is largely due to the relationships that have been established through The Turner School of Construction Management.

The Turner School of Construction Management is championed by Hilton Smith (far right on the above picture), Turner Senior Vice President for Community Affairs. The program has been uniquely designed to enhance the technical, administrative and managerial skills of minority and women businesses in order to make a profit and build a reputation for efficiently managing construction projects. This is accomplished through Turner executives and industry partners who volunteer their time to teach the individual classes.

The first class SOMWBA and Turner partnered on was in 2007. We were lucky enough to be put in contact with Alison Stanton Regional Community Affairs Director for Turner Boston to coordinate this with. Alison gives new meaning to the saying” It’s not just a job it’s an adventure”. That year The Turner School of Construction Management graduated 11 M/WBEs and 12 students. The following year with one class under our belt, the 2008 program graduated 15 firms and 22 students. Following suit, in 2009 the series of classes graduated 17 firms and 23 students. The working relationship between Turner and SOMWBA was strengthening each year and a synergy was developing.

In the year 2010 things had changed. The State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) name was changed to the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (MSDO). We had a new Executive Director Reggie Nunnally who brought a new sense of purpose and passion to the agency. When the time came to send out the invitations to the pool of certified construction M/WBEs the response was almost instantaneous. Within one day 40 requests to attend the Turner program were received and by the end of the week 74 firms wished to register for the 2010 Turner School of Construction Management. Unfortunately, due to capacity restrictions we had to turn people away. This had never happened before and the response exceeded anything we had expected.

This large and immediate response shows that the Turner School of Construction Management’s reputation had spread throughout the MSDO M/WBE community, and that if you attend this program you will leave with tangible results and a network that will help your company grow.

Please contact John Fitzpatrick at 617-973-8647 for more information.

The DBE SS Program is an initiative funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and administered through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The DBE SS Program is administered by SDO and includes the DBE SS Advisory Board, the Opportunities Database, Get Connected events, Matching Making events, and "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 development. SDO is currently recruiting 15 ready, willing, and able DBEs to participate in the 2010/2011 DBE SS Business 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
October - The DBE SS Advisory Board held its inaugural meeting in which all members were introduced. During this meeting the Board voted to change its schedule and meet on a monthly basis versus quarterly meetings for a more active role in the DBE SS Program. The advisory board will continue to meet monthly in order to monitor the development of the program as well as offer assistance to overcome obstacles facing DBE's. All DBE SS Advisory Board meetings have been scheduled for the balance of the DBE SS 2010 - 2011 program season.

November - One major topic that was discussed was bonding. According to the Board, DBEs should look upon bonding as an investment in their business versus viewing it in terms of a cost. Board member Greg Janey stated that "if you have a $500,000 project and you can bond $50,000 of it, then you should bond it because it increases your bonding capacity for future projects". Board member Michael Peltier agreed that bonding shows that a DBE is willing to risk something "to get into the game" which could lead to a better relationship with other subs and primes.

Opportunities Database
The Opportunities Database tallies survey responses from DBEs and Prime Contractors. Scope of work items related to highway construction are listed for Primes and DBEs to enable SDO in matching Prime Contractors' needs with available DBEs and the DBEs specific items of work. The goal of the database is to increase DBE participation on federally-funded highway construction. The database will be posted for use by Prime Contractors and DBEs alike to promote new relationships and business activity. If you have not submitted your survey, please do so or contact Mary Richmond at 617-973-8696.

DBE SS Advisory Board Members: