On June 27, 2014, Cornell Procurement Services hosted the first-ever New York State (NYS) Diverse Supplier Certification Workshop, focused on helping minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) secure NYS certification. Key participants for the workshop were identified from Cornell's MWBE suppliers.
Achieving NYS certification can help suppliers increase their business with Cornell University and other institutions, as well as agencies that receive NYS funding.
Twelve suppliers and representatives from Cornell Procurement Services and the Office of Sponsored Programs participated in the workshop.
Rochelle Layman of the NYS Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Darlene Kanuk of Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP), who led the workshop, provided an introduction to the procedures for completing and submitting a certification application, identified organizations that can assist in the application process, and explained the benefits of obtaining a NYS certification. Applications from workshop participants will be expedited through the Empire State Development's Fast Track Application program.
NYS Executive Law Article 15-A requires that institutions provide up-front notification of whether MWBEs will be used during state-funded research projects. To help Cornell comply with this requirement, Cornell Procurement Services collaborated with the EAP and the SBDC to develop the workshop, which also advances the university's Diverse Supplier Initiative, part of Cornell's major and transforming institutional diversity planning effort, "Toward New Destinations."
The entire workshop was captured on video and is available for viewing on the NYS MWBE Certification page, along with the complete presentations, for diverse suppliers who were unable to attend the workshop.
