ESI partnered with Milligan & Company, LLC to analyze the utilization of minority, women and disabled business enterprises (M/W/DBEs) on city contracts and the availability of these businesses across the region in a report called “The Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Disparity Study”.
The study found that in FY 2013, the city awarded $237 million to M/W/DSBEs, representing 28 percent of the contracts for which the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) reported having M/W/DSBEs available to service the city. Officials said this study is considered the cornerstone of the citywide goal setting process that drives the inclusion of disadvantaged businesses on city contracts.The study also includes an unprecedented analysis of the economic opportunity plans for public, private and nonprofit sector public works projects. The study found that 85 percent of all economic opportunity plans have achieved at least 90 percent compliance on contract payments.