Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses are Getting a Piece of the TZ Bridge Project

Opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses are being realized as construction on the New NY Bridge project gets underway, according to newnybridge.com. 

And there's more where that came from, as only 21 percent of all the contracts that Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC will be awarding over the whole project. 

According to the new bridge's official construction website, the DBEs under contract with TZC are currently performing engineering, construction, security, trucking, office support and communications functions.

As of Jan. 31, 2014:

• TZC has 121 contracts with subcontractors/suppliers.
• 53 of those subcontractors/suppliers are certified disadvantaged business enterprises.
• 68 percent of the DBEs are based in New York State.
• 23 percent of the DBEs are based in the Hudson Valley.
• TZC has committed $418.4 million to subcontractors/suppliers.
• $44.6 million – 10.7 percent – is committed to DBEs.
• TZC has awarded only 8 percent of construction-related contracts.
• TZC has awarded only 21 percent of all project-related contracts.

“We’re proud to partner with DBEs and all local companies on this historic project and we value the contributions these highly qualified businesses make,” said Brian Conybeare, special advisor to the governor for the New NY Bridge project. “With an infrastructure project of this scale, the roles filled by DBEs are as diverse as the companies themselves and the door of opportunity is just beginning to open.”