JERSEY CITY, NJ. March 27, 2025 (Biz Republic) — Hudson County Executive Craig Guy announced a number of initiatives aimed at improving available procurement opportunities for minority-owned businesses (MBEs), woman-owned businesses (WBEs), small businesses (SBEs), and veteran-owned businesses (VBEs). The initiatives were recommended in Hudson County’s Disparity Study, which was commissioned by the County Executive through the Office of Business Opportunity to examine participation of MBEs, WBEs, SBEs, and VBEs in Hudson County government contracting. In March 2023, the Hudson County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the County Executive’s office conduct the Disparity Study.
“During a time when the idea of diversity is under attack, I want to make clear that Hudson County’s strength comes from our diversity,” said Hudson County Executive Guy. “My administration has been focused on service and opportunity for all, and the results of the Disparity Study highlight the County’s need to ensure equitable opportunities for minority- and woman-owned businesses competing for government contracts.
Hudson County is already incorporating many of the Study’s recommendations into its day-to-day operations:
● Set Aside Standards: For all window contracts that only require the solicitation of quotes under Local Public Contract Law, the Division of Purchasing will, as their first line of procurement, make every attempt to solicit quotes from local certified businesses that can provide the goods and/or services as needed. Certified Businesses shall mean certified SBE, MBE, MWBE, or VBEs. This is being achieved by working with the Office of Business Opportunity to identify qualified local certified vendors to solicit quotes from for these window contracts.
● Goals-Based Program: The Division of Purchasing and Law Department are in direct communication with the departments that do public works projects (such as Parks and Roads and Public Property) to ensure that Hudson County is actively working on the goals-based program, which recommends that at least 27% of the dollar amount of a given contract go to MBEs, WBEs, SBEs, and VBEs. This program will begin with all public works procurements that exceed $250,000. Once we have implemented this portion of the program successfully we will proceed in implementation with goods and services contracts.
● County Cooperative: The County will reinstate the Hudson County Cooperative, which will allow municipalities in the Cooperative to use Hudson County contracts for procurements. Due to limited staff at this time, the Cooperative will begin with smaller more simple procurements and throughout the program years will expand to more complex procurements.
Keen Independent Research developed the study through analysis, interviews, and surveys of minority-owned businesses and woman-owned businesses in Northeast New Jersey – Hudson County, Bergen County, Passaic County, Essex County, Union County, Morris County, Monmouth County and Middlesex County – the region identified as the geographic market area for County procurement of construction, professional services, goods and other services. After this research was conducted, Keen Independent Research issued recommendations to have the greatest impact on increasing equitability for MBEs, WBEs, SBEs, and VBEs.
