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February 02, 2017
New York City Department of Design and Construction Hosts 3rd Annual Contractors Open House
Contact:
Shavone Williams
718-391-1583
Long Island City, NY – Over 200 architecture, engineering, and construction professionals attended the New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (DDC) 3rd Annual Open House on Contracting Opportunities last week, an event designed to help contractors better understand the City’s capital construction procurement process and to provide a preview of upcoming DDC infrastructure and public buildings projects to help their planning process. The Open House was at DDC’s Long Island City headquarters at 30-30 Thomson Avenue in Queens.
The DDC’s open house events are designed to help contractors better understand the City’s capital construction procurement process and to provide a preview of upcoming DDC infrastructure and public buildings projects to help their planning process.
This year, DDC offered two break-out sessions with panelists from the New York City Department of Small Business Services (NYC SBS), Surety Bond Associates, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and Trufund featuring topics critical to the success of small and emerging businesses: The “Essentials of Bonding” session hosted by NYC SBS provided attendees with helpful tips about contract surety bonds, New York City bond requirements, bond application requirements and NYC SBS’s bond readiness program; while a second session hosted by SBA and Trufund called “Identifying Financing Resources” provided attendees with financial solutions and information about loan and advantage programs available to M/WBE’s.
“Our mission is to help firms of all sizes grow by enhancing their business capacity through education and technical assistance. We encourage firms to take full advantage of these opportunities to learn how to work with us, and how to earn City contracting opportunities,” said DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora.
“Engaging with firms in the public construction community is key to ensuring that we uphold the Mayor’s commitment to equity and opportunity. We aim to connect these businesses with professional development opportunities and to build collaborative relationships with other industry professionals,” said DDC’s Chief Diversity and Industry Relations Officer, Magalie D. Austin.
Robert Baptiste, Owner of Laland Baptiste, LLC, Construction Management of Brooklyn said, “I thought this event was very informative and helpful. It’s always a pleasure to network with other contractors and firms that specialize in professional services. This is our third time attending this event and we look forward to continuing our business with DDC.”
Laland Baptiste, LLC is a certified MWBE and is one DDC’s subcontractors in the Build it Back program.
Flor Cordero, Owner of CTS Environmental LLC, a licensed environmental remediation contractor on Long Island said, “I heard about this event on the internet and immediately signed up to attend. I’m MWBE certified and this is a great way to learn about upcoming projects, and about the bidding process in order to work with DDC in the future. The ‘Essentials of Bonding’ workshop was helpful because I’m trying to join the union which asks for all of the information that was covered today in the session. I’m glad that I got the opportunity to attend.”
DDC’s Office of Diversity and Industry Relations offers a range of programs to expand the pool of vendors doing business with the agency, with a particular focus on MWBE’s, including monthly business development workshops, open houses, and a construction mentorship program. These programs introduce participants to the agency’s processes and ensure participants are aware of all available procurement opportunities. For more information about the Office of Diversity and Industry Relations offerings vendors can visit nyc.gov/ddc/odir.About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.