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Minority, Women, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses

The State of New York believes that increasing the utilization of Minority, Women and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE/SDVOB'S) is an important element of the State's and SUNY's contribution to the growth of our economy and community.

  • Executive Law, Article 15-A establishes State-wide Minority and Women Owned Business enterprise utilization goals and imposes sanctions on agencies that substantially fail to meet their goals.
    • The SUNY goal is a total of 30% of qualifying purchases. The distribution of the spend between Minority and Women owned businesses is determined by a state-approved goal setting process. Each contract will have specific goals assigned.
  • Executive Law, Article 17-B establishes State-wide Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business enterprise utilization goals and imposes sanctions on agencies that substantially fail to meet their goals.
    • The SUNY goal is 6% of qualifying purchases.

It is the policy of SUNY Cortland to take affirmative action to ensure that Minority, Women, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses, certified by New York State, are given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to provide the University with goods and services at competitive prices.

There are links for MWBE and SDVOB directories, where you can search by vendor, product, or more specific criteria like market area or service type. Their mission is to promote equality of economic opportunities for certified vendors and to eliminate barriers to their participation in state contracts.

Direct negotiation with MWBE and SDVOBs in reaching mutually acceptable prices

When an MWBE or SDVOB vendor submits a quote and the quote is estimated high, to demonstrate Good Faith Effort, the campus should engage in direct negotiation with the vendor in an effort to reach a competitive price. This step to display a good faith effort is not applicable to those cases where an MWBE or SDVOB quote is rejected in favor of another MWBE or SDVOB or when there is a sealed bid. This practice should allow for a second chance when pricing is close and should not become a back and forth. SUNY Cortland will allow one chance to make a more competitive offer.

Accordion: Expand This Section

SDVOB Procurement

Under NYS Executive Law Article 17-B:

State University of New York is required to ensure that Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), certified by the New York State Office of General Services (OGS), have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in University procurements.

A service-disabled veteran is defined as:

  1. in the case of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Army National Guard or Air National Guard and/or Reserves thereof, a veteran who received a compensation rating of ten percent or greater from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or from the United States Department of Defense because of a service-connected disability incurred in the line of duty; and
  2. in the case of the New York guard or the New York naval militia and/or reserves thereof, a veteran who is certified by the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs, pursuant to the appropriate provisions contained within the Code of Federal Regulations, as having incurred an injury equivalent to a compensation rating of ten percent or greater from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or from the United States Department of Defense because of a service-connected disability incurred in the line of duty.

SUNY has adopted agency-specific goals in accordance with Article 17-B of the Executive Law of 6%.  The SUNY goals of 6% are based on contract value, less exclusions.  Such agency-specific goals are in addition to goals established pursuant to Article 15-A of the Executive Law with respect to procurements from certified minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises.

OGS maintains the Directory of NYS Certified SDVOBs. The Directory of NYS Certified SDVOBs is also posted on the OGS website

Procurement specific regulations follow the MWBE program requirements. 

The Purchasing and Accounts Payable Office is here to help. Please contact Jacob Irving at 607-753-2582 with any questions.