MBE Input Committee Bulletin Board
1445 MARKET, SUITE 310 :: DENVER, CO 80202 :: Phone 303.623.3037 :: Fax (303) 595-0027
MBEIC Committee
(Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee)
Jasmin Espy (Chair)
Summit Staff Co.
Walker Fleming (Vice Chair)
Axxess Connect
Jared Casey (Secretary)
Faison Office Products LLC
Ron Abo
The Abo Group
Jeannie Davis
Now Hear This, Inc.
Larry Duran
DURA-N Enterprises, Inc. dba IBC
Adil Khan
Amplidyne, Inc.
David Lafore
Colorado Green Grass
Thomas Martinez
Martinez & Hromada Associates Inc.
Joseph S. Massie
Massie Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc.
David Ortiz
Safety & Construction Supply, Inc.
J.F. Sato
J.F. Sato & Associates
Joseph Serna
DAWA Enterprises
Miriam Smith
Paridae Enterprises, LLC
Les Townsend
The Townsend Management Group
News from the MBEIC Committee
A Call to Action!
Minority Contracting Program in Jeopardy
NMBEIC Online Forum Created
MBE Spotlight
Faison Office Products
Faison Office Products, LLC (under the leadership of president and CEO, Jared D. Casey, Jr., pictured at right) of Aurora, Colorado employs 54 people. In a competitive office products industry, FAISON can price with the "big boxes" as well as ship next day delivery nation-wide.
FAISON'S exceptional service and capabilities to its customer, Delphi which is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, earned FAISON the recognition of the Delphi 2009 "Above and Beyond Award."
United Technologies Corporation, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, recently honored FAISON with their "Gold Status, ACE program of excellence award." United Technologies measures the performance of its suppliers through the use of its supplier scorecard. Based upon the supplier's performance and with the approval of United Technologies' highest ranking supply management executives, a supplier can achieve Gold Status. FAISON is the first office supply company to achieve Gold status from United Technologies.
Congratulations to Faison Office Products, LLC and to United Technologies Corporation for its support of supplier diversity!
You can find a copy of the article in its entirety in the March/April issue of the MBE Magazine under Corporate Strategies.
The Purpose of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee
The Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBE Input Committee) is a group of certified minority business enterprise representatives. The MBE Input Committee works in conjunction with the President, staff and Board of Directors of the Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council (Rocky Mountain MSDC) to provide advice and input regarding the programs and projects implemented by the Rocky Mountain MSDC so that those programs and projects are relevant and supportive of minority business development, consistent with the 501c(3) tax exempt status of the Rocky Mountain MSDC.
See MBE Spotlight on Jared D. Casey of
Faison Office Products at right.
 | ||||||
The National Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (NMBEIC) Technology Committee has designed a "Link" to allow MBEs to communicate with other fellow members from across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, to foster communications, collaboration, and the overall growth of business opportunities wherever they are found. The site is only available by being a Certified NMSDC MBE.
You are encouraged to visit www.nmbeic.org, register your company and begin your participation in this new fascinating forum. Join with 17,000 other MBEs to foster new business opportunities from across North America.
What if you woke up one day and the government decided that there was no disparity in the procurement process for minority owned businesses, the 8(a) program was wiped away, and the world now operated on "an even playing field?" Sound far fetched? Well, it isn't!
ALL aspects of federal contracting favoring minority owned businesses have been turned upside down by a recent injunction issued by the U.S District Court San Antonio Division on February 26, 2009 broadly interpreting a U.S. Federal Circuit Court order. The case was the Rothe Development Corporation vs.The U.S Department of Defense and The U.S. Air Force. The injunction and the District Court's order was based upon a decade-long lawsuit by Rothe Development, Inc. that challenged the constitutionality of minority preference in the military and space program contracting processes. Basically, the ruling said the statistical data Congress used to authorize the military's minority contracting program (a disparity study) was insufficient and outdated. Rothe Development, owned by a San Antonio Anglo woman, sued the government after it was not awarded a computer-and-communications contract at a federal facility, even though the firm's original bid was $180,000 lower than an 8(a) company owned by a South Korean couple.
The same discrimination statistical data that was used in the Rothe Development case is used throughout the federal system - U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Transportation Department, etc. The ruling on its surface appears to lay the ground work for challenging of other preferential program contracts issued after January 1, 2006 -- the last time Congress authorized the minority preferential contracting law. Should the ruling be allowed to stand or new statistical data not be updated, there could be a significant impact on all aspects of minority business contracting both in the public sector and eventually the private sector.
Initial Tasks at Hand. ..
In an effort to assess and respond to the situation, the Advanced Management Education Program (AMEP) alumni from the National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.® (NMSDC®) Kellogg program and the Unity Group (see notes below on the groups composing the Unity Group) have joined together. AMEP has hired consultant, Anthony Robinson to:
Develop a nonpartisan legal education plan on issues related to minority business contracting
Coordinate the collection of evidence (statistical and anecdotal) on disparity in the procurement of government contracting
Create legal and legislative information relative to minority business contracting
Present to members of Congress and the Executive Branch any findings and/or recommended solutions, where necessary
What You Can Do to Help ...
Consultants, data collection and storage , reports, coordination with congressional and executive staff, conference calls, educational activities, etc. all cost money.
We are reaching out to MBEs (and others committed to minority business inclusion) to write a personal check for at least $25.00to help in this effort. Make initial check payable to AMEP prior to May 1, 2009 and mail it to 1040 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10018. After May 1, 2009 you may also go online to www.MBEPAC.organd make additional donations or mail check to the MBE- PAC, Bank of America Plaza, 901 Main Street, Suite 6200, Dallas, Texas, 75202.
This is a very small amount to insure that minority inclusion is not written out of our landscape by the stroke of a single court case. Your check will entitle you to a consistent update on the activities of AMEP and the Unity Group related to this issue.
Finally ...
The U.S. House Small Business Committee, headed by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-New York, is looking into steps Congress can take to restore the legal status of the program. Your emails, letters, phone calls, etc. to your congressional representatives concerning this matter are also warranted.
Let's not sleep through this important endeavor. Take action today to secure your future and that of coming generations!
Respectfully submitted,
s/s
Terri Quinton
National MBE Input Committee Chair
(Note: The M/W/DBE Unity Group is currently composed of Asian American Business Roundtable, Minority Business Roundtable, National Association of Small Disadvantaged Business, National Association of Minority Contractors, National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.®, NMSDC National MBE Input committee (NMBEIC) Governmental Affairs Committee, Association of Minority Airport Concessionaires/Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), National Minority Manufacturers Association, North Carolina Institute of Minority Enterprise/Economic Development, Latin American Management Association, Asian American Justice Center, Fitnet Purchasing Alliance, National Council of Asian American Business Associations, Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Association, Minority Business Enterprise PAC.)
Stay Connected Through the Web
MBEs can learn about business opportunities and how to improve both their business and their business prospects by using the Internet. Recently, the SBA's Business Gateway Program announced its first government-sponsored on-line community built specifically for small businesses. The address for this new initiative is: http://Community.Business.gov.
Business.gov Community combines discussion forums, blogs, and idea exchange, and more. It also offers advance tools for navigating government resources, policies, laws and opportunities that impact the small business owner. Over the next few months, the Business.gov Community will expand to include additional features and resources that address specific user interests and provide access to the wider pool of government and Business.gov Partner resources available to the small business owner.
The state of Colorado has a Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Minority Business Office (MBO). The MBO website, www.AdvanceColorado.com provides links to minority and women's organizations and contracting opportunities.
The MBO is committed to helping increase minority participation in public and private sector contracting and is a leading advocate for diverse businesses or task forces, councils, and policy boards. The MBO collaborates with other state agencies, the private sector and various organizations to expand economic opportunities for minority businesses.
Other websites offering information and/or assistance to small, minority, and/or women-owned businesses include:
Colorado Small Business Development Center
www.coloradosbdc.org
Small Business Administration
U.S. Business Advisor
Federal Government Statistics
NAICS Codes
Recognition & Accomplishment
DAWA Enterprises Honored
During the recent awards banquet of the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado (HCC), MBE DAWA Enterprises was selected as the “Emerging Business of the Year.” Congratulations to Joe Serna, President & CEO (pictured above with board chair Laurie Billeter and Nelson Ball) and the other employees of DAWA Enterprises for being selected for this honor.
Carolyn Terrell Honored
On Tuesday, April 28, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, honored several small businesses and Carolyn Terrell who has been a long-time friend and advocate of the Council. Ms. Terrell, the lead business development specialist for the Small Business Administration received the Metro Chamber’s David E. Bailey Small Business Advocate Award.
