Expanding access to public contracting opportunities to help New Jersey minority-owned businesses get a fair shake

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New Jersey has a reputation as a progressive state, but less than 1% of the state’s government-issued contracts for construction projects go to Black-owned companies. Women-owned and other minority-owned businesses in the Garden State are also getting the short end of the stick.

That’s the finding of the New Jersey Disparity Study, released in January of this year.

The study was undertaken to examine the issue in-depth and create a framework for legislation to address and correct the existing inequities.

A package of bills designed to level the playing field has been passed by the Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee, but the legislation has yet to be considered by the full Lower House.

On Monday morning, Gov. Phil Murphy convened an Expanding Access to Public Contracting Opportunities roundtable discussion with legislators and stakeholders at the Statehouse to discuss what can be done to move the needle.

Bills need to be passed

Murphy said it’s important to pass legislation and not simply issue Executive Orders “because the next governor could cancel that Executive Order.

“There feels like there’s low-hanging fruit that we should get at immediately. The best example in terms of a bill is to establish the Office of Supplier Diversity,” he said.

That measure, A4723, also calls for modifying the title and role of the Chief Diversity Officer.

Explain the process

He also said, “We need to be better, more creative, more aggressive on communication: this is how you put together a bid, this is where you go, this is how you find other suppliers who can complement your bid.”

Reverend Ronald Slaughter, the Senior Pastor of Saint James AME Church in Newark, concurred.

“It’s hard to play the game when you don’t know the rules, when you don’t have access, when you don’t know how to fill out the applications, when you don’t see the opportunities,” he said.

Let’s get moving

The governor said doing nothing is not an alternative.

“Time is of the essence, this has been kicking around for generations, let’s get at it,” he said.

Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, who chairs the legislative Black caucus, said the Diversity Study “sheds light on critical gaps that continue to limit fair access to government contracts and the essential resources needed to allow these businesses not only to compete but to thrive. Armed with this data, we’re seizing this opportunity to enact real change.”

Other participants in the roundtable included Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, Senator Nellie Pou, Assemblyman Sterley Stanley and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly.

Representatives from the African American Chamber of Commerce, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce, the Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce, and the NJ Diverse Business Advisory Council also participated, along with Jo-Ann Povia, chief of staff to the Department of the Treasury, associate deputy State Treasurer, Michelle Bodden and Jayné Johnson, director of the governor’s Office of Equity.