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<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 16pt;text-align: center;" align="center"><strong> <img height="397" vspace="5" border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1107" hspace="5" width="604" src="http://files.ctctcdn.com/4339298e001/c8da11ef-ce8e-4308-8b10-9bc4e677930b.jpg"> </strong></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 16pt;"><strong> </strong></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 16pt;"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: </strong></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 16pt;">June 19, 2015 </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 16pt;"> </p>
<div style="font-size: 16pt;"><strong>Contact:</strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 16pt;">Rona Taylor </div>
<div style="font-size: 16pt;"><a shape="rect">rtaylor.bfa@gmail.com</a> </div>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;font-size: 22pt;text-align: center;" align="center"><span><b>Assemblymember Bichotte's Bill bolstering MWBEs passes Assembly with Bipartisan Support</b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;" align="center"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><strong>ALBANY, NY (June 19, 2015)</strong>: </span><span><strong> </strong></span><strong>Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Brooklyn),</strong>Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), announced that legislation she sponsored to enhance opportunities for emerging businesses passed the Assembly <a style="color: blue;text-decoration: underline;" track="on" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZE0_miOUy7TdiSq9_c-h-e414Z9MBnuDela7l8vGxfOWJEzjHTgQm9mcHD-KoUolvIBZYio7lmJ-NlP4FcznK88c4XLUfY81bIgbNE32DP3IT4y0c7RMZxLidhWG0wpJXl3n1gMmYOrWQUMPde47cLrDxagiEedQyPP0Nm_QokJOQ0TFdrVV1cAXceyrgGy3jiNkyBbIl5m0wq56HqdbrSXqkXICwINvBDMneEspcEjrzgXkq_MvC8rNpDTx8gQd79dwW8qwIvUd7tFNMPbTJhV_j77kasDkkvrCJrz8qGH46FoL22uSMwRAwvMOsUYwXt-fhZl1uviLmtFJVFDgMDW6vdsleq9Y5ehLLJNbWsu8PxhLAZPoGrqektYmYVax9V0TfWcSvFWeElSs8YAokUyabVsL6i0SVK7JDQlIi5pMmSsrECFfDObED43BcAQEgz4vyLI5vh1x4ThFCS2CgQ==&c=Czbjdxz_YU6c-LtmDmXAN410yjy7fHvSj34L8nV6gDj2qUTK3dyWRg==&ch=iPTdgsSNwTK6ezuNj-fhZBleKmNebKtWn1byp-B7pC6xgwJ6Ejvfgg==" shape="rect" linktype="1" alt="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A08044&term=2015&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y&utm_source=MWBE+Passes+Legislation&utm_campaign=Rodneyse+Bichotte&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">(A.8044-A)</a><strong>. Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) </strong>is sponsoring the legislation in the Senate <a style="color: blue;text-decoration: underline;" track="on" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZE0_miOUy7TdiSq9_c-h-e414Z9MBnuDela7l8vGxfOWJEzjHTgQm9mcHD-KoUolU5pK5U8B7OafdDupQTlWmXNxEfrsLuwot2v_eW727h5gRNTbj2YB3YSCW2S028I2Fz5CSdS36SzXQHa32nyypvMhOn-Lu4THQlSFqWIXzp0CA1NwLKDpHrX5xrmgg87qDRSn_DoYQwHQiaxShYLOHWIKiTmpOMpIXLsF1TufrrGNOFitL3WaF9QRQO8-d-Uv7Zp3-g7c_XJY46SsPJtpE7f14B6QpVMb5X_h9FmLi94--5llwlVbpQpVcJq3nqr9pKVYBXujBUujGRWzTwDUhqdqQKEwmil2YeS046PnM4A=&c=Czbjdxz_YU6c-LtmDmXAN410yjy7fHvSj34L8nV6gDj2qUTK3dyWRg==&ch=iPTdgsSNwTK6ezuNj-fhZBleKmNebKtWn1byp-B7pC6xgwJ6Ejvfgg==" shape="rect" linktype="1" alt="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?term=2015&bn=S05924&utm_source=MWBE+Passes+Legislation&utm_campaign=Rodneyse+Bichotte&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">(S5924A)</a>.</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> "By encouraging minorities and women to grow their businesses, we are promoting job opportunities in our communities and building a sustainable economic future," said Assemblymember Bichotte. "MWBEs have a lot to offer, and increasing their participation in government contracts is one way we can help these job-creating small businesses prosper."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">Assemblymember Bichotte's bill increases the city's MWBE discretionary spending of the small-purchase threshold from $100,000 to $200,000, allows MWBE status to be a factor in "best value" awards, establishes capacity building programs for the benefit of state or local MWBE-certified firms doing business in New York City and permits pre-qualified lists for purchase contracts in addition to public works contracts.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">Assemblymember Bichotte noted the next step is to expand the program statewide and ensure businesses' past labor practices include prevailing wage standards when awarding contracts.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">Chairwoman Bichotte also introduced MWBE legislation to:</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p>
<ul><li>authorize state agencies to use discretionary purchasing authority for procurements from service-disabled veteran-owned businesses <a style="color: blue;text-decoration: underline;" track="on" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZE0_miOUy7TdiSq9_c-h-e414Z9MBnuDela7l8vGxfOWJEzjHTgQm9mcHD-KoUolaqto96Ij1yMSrk50wpJ4t6mgvAUTxb1145haCGeUzCqJj21TcvLQkKcVQz0kbh_6ugjyWXLH57r7hWZDHckJ10OwVv2dPExP9nWUs8P2iml5gYG9Jg0nOljQGKPleCIEhFsYKrKloC5DYBDRUZ6EgJZ27K8oliGMp0o5RfnRguIa_40BijhAagyFcoDbD1AIxIWa3MP18g0_AF04TUnTDIQIqcgx06nVF5VAZSQeKzJfprJwJqZhHs_GEgytw28RWy0WiWJAUotPUIgls5miFIv8bnSXSTHeoN8k03yeohv2VDbz_QDZy9zrJ9brR8Gq1GyGiPZmhKO_X9B24W1JSCI-UnIj_9DrhMg53X8-QeEk_hFl4dEJwbansJ7VNaO9tY8h821V6ZOCMbhVTcMo7A==&c=Czbjdxz_YU6c-LtmDmXAN410yjy7fHvSj34L8nV6gDj2qUTK3dyWRg==&ch=iPTdgsSNwTK6ezuNj-fhZBleKmNebKtWn1byp-B7pC6xgwJ6Ejvfgg==" shape="rect" linktype="1" alt="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A07580&term=2015&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y&utm_source=MWBE+Passes+Legislation&utm_campaign=Rodneyse+Bichotte&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">(A.7580)</a>;</li><li>waive deposits on certain plans and specifications for contracts for public works <a style="color: blue;text-decoration: underline;" track="on" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZE0_miOUy7TdiSq9_c-h-e414Z9MBnuDela7l8vGxfOWJEzjHTgQm9mcHD-KoUolPkJFNLhgEGaBEY7xjCRV0HEjo_NPMClWClAQNrdwEG3PN1IiTw4-xGIs1zc7tk9rZtL5LittEwdDQ76CK_XdVVZK_r9eoN6KcUw3wLVP3GTX3lg32zlSSyFPAUEa_--XFBQQqtkO8-HPtLjsj3y_F_-dNXiEUSVewD7HQ5xJECyWfe5PkPIZjU3PTvXcmSNNHfX3I2XA_TdsUaxGG8UDrLngrl4NdJkg0fDh99Znr_bg5fiQLkf0BkR0hFhCtzJKs2i-AAPTFG7XBtexJIKhz_42gmL9NXWj0b4NG06_GFL1lCSPr4eKS-1lzfSLpc7lkK6WgRc8AsLU6RNORyPKgmZEfCpAwq9APfOuVO2nOOGiQIMJj-SwnxVBN4rlsdNDZFuupvKvza4Ar81o2KWxJw==&c=Czbjdxz_YU6c-LtmDmXAN410yjy7fHvSj34L8nV6gDj2qUTK3dyWRg==&ch=iPTdgsSNwTK6ezuNj-fhZBleKmNebKtWn1byp-B7pC6xgwJ6Ejvfgg==" shape="rect" linktype="1" alt="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A07582&term=2015&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y&utm_source=MWBE+Passes+Legislation&utm_campaign=Rodneyse+Bichotte&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">(A.7582)</a>; and</li><li>allow businesses to use funds received from the MWBE development and lending program for the purpose of refinancing existing debt </li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></blockquote></body></html>