News Release -- City to Host Upstate MWBE Conference March 22-24

City of Rochester

News Release

(Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023) – Mayor Malik D. Evans today encouraged minority and women business owners to register to attend the City of Rochester’s inaugural Upstate MWBE Conference March 22 through 24 to learn how they can compete for government contracts.

MWBE (Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises) is a federal program administered by state and local governments 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 direct 30 percent of the City’s aggregate annual spending on private contracts to certified MWBEs. To accelerate this goal, Mayor Evans expanded the MWBE team in the Purchasing Bureau from one to three employees.

“A robust MWBE program advances the causes of equity and economic empowerment by helping companies that were historically locked out of the government-purchasing process tap into these funding streams, grow their businesses and create jobs,” said Mayor Evans. “I encourage minority and women business owners to register today for the Upstate MWBE Conference and learn how they – and their employees – can be among the first to benefit from the millions of dollars that local governments invest each year in their communities.”

The Upstate MWBE Conference will kick off at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 22 at the Strathallan Hotel, 550 East Ave., with a jazz reception, awards dinner and networking opportunities. It will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24 at the Wegmans Conference Center, 200 Wegmans Market St., with interactive training sessions, presentations, discussion forums, and an MWBE Opportunities Expo.

The objective of the Upstate MWBE Conference is to promote meaningful conversations on a variety of topics to help MWBEs better understand the MWBE certification process, meet contractual obligations and establish relationships among industry peers and large “prime contractor” firms that often subcontract MWBEs. The discussions will emphasize the challenges and opportunities of working in the Upstate economy.

Visit: CityofRochester.Gov/MWBEConference2023/ to register or learn more.

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News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Barbara Pierce at Barbara.Pierce@cityofrochester.gov.