MTA awards 32% of contracts to minority, women, and veteran businesses since start of COVID-19

NY News - Published Jun 10, 2020

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded $73.1 million in contracts, representing 32 percent of contracting dollars during the relevant period, to New York State and New York City certified minority-owned, women-owned, disadvantaged, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (MWBEs, DBEs, and SDVOBs) since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of March 2020. 

The 32 percent figure represents the totality of spending during that period. The spending, however, was boosted by the need to purchase COVID-19 related materials and services. The MTA has spent $230.1 million total on said materials and services. Of this spending, more than $57 million in cleaning and disinfecting services was purchased from MWBEs, DBEs, and SDVOBs. The $57 million spend was broken up between two MBEs, one SDVOB, and one WBE. Additionally, $11 million in personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, and other miscellaneous goods were purchased from said certified companies, with the breakdown in the distribution in the goods spend being between seven MBEs, one SDVOB, and fourteen WBEs.

The MTA is ranked number one in dollars paid to NYS certified MWBEs (out of 97 NYS agencies and authorities), and was responsible for $736 million in payments to NYS certified MWBEs during the 2018-2019 fiscal year, in addition to being the largest consumer of goods and services from certified MWBEs in the state of New York.

"We exceeded our annual goal of awarding 30% of overall contracts to these businesses and look forward to what more we can do in the future during these challenging times, " said Michael J. Garner, Chief Diversity Officer of the MTA.

Read the MTA's press release at http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/during-covid-19-pandemic-mta-awards-731-million-representing-32.