The Offshore Wind (OSW) NYC Waterfront Pathways Program is increasing opportunities for underserved M/W/DBE businesses in the New Economy
Launched by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the OSW NYC Waterfront Pathways program helps minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises (M/W/DBEs) in the OSW and waterfront industries become prequalified and competitive for NYCEDC contracts by providing business and technical training and opportunities to network with key players in the industry.
How We Helped
The program has been a collaborative effort from the beginning, with six firms bringing their expertise to support the participants. Next Street played a key role in developing the application, participant assessments, and business curriculum. TMI Waterfront Services and other subject matter experts ranging from OSW developers and union leaders, to construction managers and environmental justice leaders, supplied much-needed industry-related technical training and program management. Together, we created a program to get M/W/DBE firms pre-qualified to bid on projects in the emerging offshore wind industry in New York City. For the design of this program, we worked with the team at NYCEDC to determine the barriers to entry into the OSW and waterfront industries and create a program that was accessible to M/W/DBE firms and prepared them to win and deliver upon contracts.
Our Impact
The first cohort of 16 NYCEDC prequalified firms graduated in June 2023, and a second cohort of 13 businesses graduated in December. Just six months after the first cohort graduating, three firms have won a total of twelve contracts with EDC, participating firms saw a 10% increase in revenue, and 85% of the firms are “very optimistic” or “somewhat optimistic” about the Offshore Wind industry.
