Foster Questions Finch’s Commitment To Minority Contracting

One day after Mayor Bill Finch’s campaign fundraiser solicited funds from Minority Business Enterprise contractors one of his Democratic primary opponents Mary-Jane Foster wonders if the mayor is actually putting words into action. From Foster:

Statement from Mary-Jane Foster RE: Uneven Enforcement of Minority Business Contracting

Bridgeport businesswoman and social action advocate Mary-Jane Foster, who is running for mayor, today chided the Finch administration for its haphazard enforcement of the City’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program. Noting that even the mayor’s own City Council recently tabled his choice of contractors to design a parks master plan after debate over the lack of a minority business contractor or even a business partner, Foster said, “More needs to be done.”

 “It is my understanding that no one at the Council meeting could produce any documentation or answers as to whether minority business participation took place in the bidding process. A quarter of a million dollar contract made it all the way to the Council members’ desks without a word about this mandated process.

Every contract that goes out to bid contains language concerning set-asides for minority business firms and encourages non-MBEs to partner with designated MBEs. Despite this fact, the City would be hard pressed to show where this is happening at all when it comes to contracts for professional services.

While significant progress has been achieved in the area of school construction projects, the same effort has not gone into other contracting areas. Perhaps there are too many qualified contractors to be ignored, the contracting pie is large enough to spread around, or it is simply easier to do with school construction projects. Regardless of the reason, it is obvious that the ordinance is not evenly enforced across all procurement sectors.

As a longtime advocate of “buying local,” my administration will make leveling the playing field for Bridgeport based businesses, especially those that are minority or women owned, a priority. Bridgeport tax dollars staying in Bridgeport helping Bridgeport businesses and Bridgeport families–now that would represent true economic development in our city.

Prior to the opening season of play at Harbor Yard, the Bluefish held an open house for all Bridgeport-based businesses. We asked local businesses to present to us what they could provide in services. As a result, multiple vending and cleaning service contracts with minority owned businesses were created. The Bluefish also partnered with Career Resources and Housatonic Community College to hold a community-wide job fair. As a result, 90% of game day employees are Bridgeport residents. Those jobs, approximately 140, are still, after 12+ years, held by Bridgeport residents.

When asked, minority business owners will tell you they are not looking for a handout but a hand to help them navigate the often-complicated municipal procurement process. To that end, a Foster administration will:

· Actively push to expand the Sheltered Market Program’s preference to include bona fide Bridgeport based businesses.

· Enforce the concept of partnering through greater oversight and rebidding contracts in which such efforts did not occur.

· Require the Mayor or Chief Administrative Officer’s sign-off on all contracts over $200,000 that are sent to the Council without a qualifying MBE business element.

Taken together, these steps will further the goal of making sure that the City’s purchasing requirements are adhered to and enforced consistently while putting in place regulations that support Bridgeport based businesses in the bidding process.”