New York City awarded just 5 percent of its $46 billion in contracts and purchase orders to Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) in Fiscal Year 2025, according to a new report from City Comptroller Mark Levine, highlighting continued disparities in municipal procurement.
The annual review found that approximately $2.4 billion in contract value went to M/WBEs, while $17.5 billion in city contracts were subject to participation goals intended to expand access. Of that eligible pool, only $1.5 billion, or 8 percent, was registered to certified M/WBEs, a decline from the prior year.
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Comptroller Levine emphasized that procedural barriers continue to limit M/WBEs’ access to city contracts, stating that “contracting timelines remain too long, requirements too burdensome, and payments too delayed,” and called for reforms to streamline processes and ensure businesses are paid on time.
The report also showed limited participation among certified firms. Of the 11,382 M/WBEs registered with the City at the end of FY25, just 2,478 entered into a new contract, subcontract, or purchase order. The average M/WBE contract was valued at under $754,000, compared with more than $3.6 million for non-certified firms, reflecting a significant contract value gap.
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Delays in contract registration remained widespread. Sixty-five percent of M/WBE contracts were registered after their start date, and more than one-third were delayed by over a month, contributing to cash flow challenges for small businesses.
The report also identified disparities within the program itself, finding that businesses owned by women of color and Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American entrepreneurs each received about 1 percent of the contract value subject to participation goals.
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The report calls for shorter contracting timelines, stronger oversight, and greater transparency to ensure M/WBEs have fair access to city contracts.
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