Lt. Gov. Matthew Denn recently announced a partnership between his office, the Delaware Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprise and the Minority Business Enterprise Center of Philadelphia to better help Delaware women and minority business owners receive information and access to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contracts, while also attempting to strengthen the climate for minority entrepreneurship.
Denn, who oversees the use of federal stimulus funds in Delaware, joined the Delaware Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprise (OMWBE) and the Minority Business Enterprise Center in signing a memorandum of understanding designed to better inform minority- and women-owned businesses about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) opportunities. This partnership will create opportunities for Delaware businesses across state lines.
“Small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses, are critical to Delaware’s economy,” said Denn. “This agreement will help us to make those businesses aware of stimulus-funded opportunities not just here in Delaware but in the much larger market across the state line in Pennsylvania.”
Vincent White, executive director of the Delaware Minority Business and Entrepreneurial Council partnership, praised the agreement. “This agreement represents a major step toward assuring all Delawareans that minority businesses will not be under-utilized or marginalized, but instead will be viewed and welcomed as true economic engines in Delaware’s recovery efforts,” said White.
Hosted by the Minority Business Enterprise Center, the Advocacy Office of the ARRA was established by the federal government in September 2009. The advocacy office is responsible for a regional outreach initiative for information about federal, state and local contracting and grant opportunities under the ARRA. The advocacy office identifies specific opportunities in targeted sectors - including construction, weatherization, transportation, energy and broadband - and matches those opportunities with certified minority- and women-owned businesses and when necessary, will provide financing, bonding and other technical assistance. The office will also track the participation of minority- and women-owned businesses on stimulus-assisted projects and report back to the federal government.
The work of the advocacy office will complement the efforts of the OMWBE, which has the primary responsibility of helping to foster continued economic development and growth for minority- and women-owned businesses.
“This strategic partnership will be a key component to increase participation of minority and women businesses on ARRA-funded projects. I am looking forward to working with the advocacy office and developing best practices for capturing minority- and women-owned business subcontracting data as well as developing strategies to increase their competitive advantage,” said L. Jay Burks, OMWBE director.
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