Discover new business opportunities with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Supplier Diversity Program. The Port Authority believes that its suppliers should be drawn broadly from the communities we operate in, and that diverse businesses offer unique perspectives that help us operate smarter and better. The Supplier Diversity Program recognizes this belief while creating opportunities for Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises, or MWBE, that would not otherwise be represented. This program provides MWBEs the opportunity to participate in infrastructure projects critical to the region and the Port Authority’s world-class transportation facilities, thus opening new doors and generating growth opportunities for these businesses.
The Port Authority’s capital plans through 2026 provide approximately $37 billion in investments to fund more than 600 projects that help to build and maintain the world’s largest airport system, the East Coast’s busiest container port, the World Trade Center campus, the PATH rail system and the region’s most active bridges, tunnels and terminals. In order to increase participation opportunities with vendor communities that have not been involved in the past, the Port Authority has set its MWBE participation goals to 30% with the intent to award 20% of the contracts for these projects to Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, or MBEs, and 10% to Women-Owned Business Enterprises, or WBEs.
The Port Authority has provided numerous ways to participate as a vendor, including MBE and WBE programs. Each year, hundreds of certified MWBEs play a significant role in delivering Port Authority transportation services. To read more about these programs, check out this information.
- To be eligible as an MBE, your business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.; in addition, management and daily operations must be controlled by one or more individuals who meet Port Authority definitions of Black, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific, Asian-Indian or Native American.
- To be eligible as a WBE, your business must be at least 51% owned, operated and/or controlled by one or more women, and you must be in business for a minimum of one year.
Does your business meet these requirements? Becoming a certified vendor for the Port Authority is a click away! Apply today to become a certified MWBE and discover what new opportunities await your business.
The Port Authority wants to help your business grow, not just compete for contract work. To achieve the goal of increasing opportunities for diverse businesses, the Supplier Diversity Program provides opportunities to help smaller businesses build their capacity. The program creates smaller contract opportunities within larger procurements, including a mentor-protégé program. This helps small businesses grow by providing training to develop their skills and knowledge further and prepare them for more considerable opportunities in the future. The program also offers professional development through workshops, webinars and networking events, along with providing training and coaching from both external and internal partners.
Once your business is certified, you can apply to be prequalified for contracts relevant to your expertise, such as construction or janitorial maintenance. This helps to increase the participation of firms in areas where there is low participation by developing specific procurement opportunities to train and grow small firms. The Port Authority’s website makes it easy for businesses to find and identify opportunities that they would like to bid on. Furthermore, Set-Aside and Subcontracting Opportunities and Price Preference programs help small businesses procure these opportunities and reduce disparities.
Your new business journey awaits. Start your application today!
