Rochester to hold annual Upstate MWBE Conference

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The City’s annual Upstate Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) Conference is coming up. This is a federal program that seeks to help minority and women business owners overcome racial and structural barriers to securing government contracts for goods and services.

The City’s MWBE policy seeks to put 30 percent of the City’s aggregate annual spending on private contracts to certified MWBEs. To achieve this goal, Mayor Evans expanded the MWBE team in the Purchasing Bureau from one to three employees.

Constance Mitchelle Jefferson, the Director of Purchasing for Rochester said, “Contracts are getting larger they’re not getting smaller and so where you might be able to do a 100k contract there might be a need for a 500k contract.”

This year’s event is themed Elevate, Educate, and Collaborate. Jefferson said that on the first night at the conference, a minority-owned business and woman-owned business will be recognized from each of the four regions present— which include the Finger Lakes, Western NY, Central NY, and the Southern Tier.

The education component will be a training where participants will be able to choose three of nine workshop options. As part of the theme’s collaborative aspect—there will be a panel discussion about business partnerships.

Jefferson added, “We can provide them with all of the resources kind of under one roof where they can talk to people and network with people to be able to walk away from these three days with a wealth of knowledge, a wealth of opportunities, and a wealth of networks that they can carry forward.” She continued, “Post covid in Upstate NY small businesses can’t really do it alone they have to learn to work with each other they have to learn how to collaborate with each other if they’re going to survive.”

On the last day, there will be an expo with 40-50 businesses where people can talk resources— lawyers, insurance, workforce development organizations.

The Upstate MWBE Conference kicks off at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at the Riverside convention center. The deadline to register is April 30.

To apply or learn more, click here .

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