By Philip Newman
The MTA will conduct a conference for small businesses — particularly minority-owned, woman-owned and certified disadvantaged business owners — that hope to bid for MTA construction projects intended to rebuild infrastructure damaged by Superstorm Sandy.
The conference will be held Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Club 101, at 101 Park Ave. in Manhattan.
“Our transit network is still recovering from Superstorm Sandy,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Thomas Prendergast. “In fact, we have years of work just to get where we were the day before Sandy. It is a monumental job, but we’re trying to look at this work as an opportunity to develop a larger pool of qualified contractors, who represent the diversity of the business community and the region we serve.”
The goal of the conference is to provide information and technical assistance to small businesses interested in working with the MTA on these and other projects. The program is part of a broader MTA effort to reach out to small businesses who want to take part in MTA procurement opportunities.
Historically, small businesses have been prevented from participating in large transportation procurements. Over the past several years, the MTA has launched an authority-wide program to support small business participation, especially minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged businesses, to take part in MTA procurement opportunities.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at timesledgernews@cnglocal.com or phone at 718-260-4536.
