NEW YORK, New York – February 21, 2023 – Attentive Energy One and Brooklyn-based MRV Group, released the results of the first statewide small business and nonprofit survey for New York State conducted September to December 2022 to evaluate the barriers and business development pathways for the State’s small and diverse businesses entering the offshore wind industry. Through the survey website BusinessSurveyGrants.com, over 120 survey responses were collected with representation from all ten of New York State’s regions (North Country, Western NY, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central NY, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island).
The Survey’s Key Findings Include:
- Businesses from a variety of industries responded[1]:
- 25% Construction, Installation, and Operations/Maintenance
- 25% Educational Institute/Training Provider
- 5% Environmental, Engineering, Geological, & Testing Services
- 22% Equipment, Supplies, Material, and Associated
- 8% Manufacturing and Fabrication Services
- 3% Marine Facilities, Transport, Logistics, and Safety
- 1% Offshore Wind Original Equipment Manufacturer
- 37% Professional and Consulting Services
- 12% Trades, Labor, and Workforce Organizations
- 29% Other
- 35% of respondents had no plans to conduct business within the offshore wind industry prior to taking the survey.
- More than 25% of small business participants did not have a supplier diversity set-aside business certification and lacked resources to obtain these certifications. This includes MWBE, SDVOB, SBE certifications and others.
- Respondents noted obstacles to receiving grant funding to support capacity building and program development:
- 45% of respondents indicate the most difficult part of obtaining grant funding is identifying appropriate grant opportunities for their organization.
- 46% of respondents report that before receiving grant funding, their organization did not have the financial resources to conduct their grant-funded work.
- 46% of respondents report that their staff lacks the necessary expertise to apply for grant opportunities.
- Respondents noted challenges with typical contract terms such as 90-day payment periods:
- Respondents advocated for shorter payment terms, reporting that long wait-times for payments are barriers to a consistent and positive cash flow.
- 100% of survey respondents have requested payment in advance of services
- 76% of respondents have requested net 7-day payment terms.
The survey website, www.businesssurveygrants.com, was created to provide a permanent resource for small/diverse firms to share honest and transparent insights. The survey implemented varied techniques to promote the survey and make it accessible. The survey was advertised through mass email communications, direct outreach and digital efforts, as well as in-person engagement made through industry activations. Survey accessibility was created through a mobile user experience and texting response capabilities, as well as keeping the survey publicly available from September 1 – December 18, 2022. Of the 120 survey participants, 60 were selected to receive a business development grant that will be provided by MRV Group. This grant includes expedited contact, grant notification and matchmaking through MRV’s Supplier Diversity Database, a fund development masterclass, a business marketing feature, and private small-group meetings with offshore wind industry leaders.
After being named a provisional winner in the federal lease auction for the New York Bight, Attentive Energy embarked on a series of initiatives to determine how to increase the participation of small and diverse businesses in the offshore wind supply chain. The offshore wind industry presents significant economic opportunity for New York and the survey provides valuable insight into how best to foster an inclusive supply chain. Attentive Energy is developing offshore wind project Attentive Energy One, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Rise Light & Power. Attentive Energy One submitted a competitive bid to NYSERDA’s third offshore wind solicitation on January 26, 2022 and proposed $25.6 billion in economic benefits to New York State and represents a significant opportunity to strengthen and streamline pathways of participation of small and diverse businesses.
“Initiatives like this are key in creating a localized offshore wind supply chain that is accessible to all New Yorkers. This inaugural statewide survey taught us that many diverse business owners struggle to obtain the DEIJ certifications that can help them qualify for opportunities. We also received insights into the types of training that small business owners can benefit from to make them competitive in this growing industry. These survey findings will help shape our Attentive Energy One project and we hope they help inform other initiatives and programming across the industry and institutions.” said Damian Bednarz, Managing Director for Attentive Energy
“The current clean energy transition is our collective moment to remove barriers and increase business pathways for small/diverse businesses. The insights provided from this survey will deepen further conversations and more importantly create actionable updates to supply chain practices to ensure prepared local businesses can compete for offshore wind contract opportunities across the industry. Within both my professional and volunteer roles nationally, I know firsthand that we must leverage this exciting time to make local content requirements a bigger reality for all U.S. small businesses.” says Deidre Helberg, President, and CEO of Helberg Electrical Supply/President of the U.S. Coalition for Black Women Businesses.
“The variety of responses are a clear indicator that to exceed local content requirements, early engagement and adjustments to how economic development opportunities for small businesses need to be made to meet supply chain and workforce goals. In many cases, based on where a business aligns within the offshore wind supply chain, there can be a 12-36 month ramp-up to be opportunity ready. However, we have already seen the benefits of small/diverse firms benefiting from early exposure, education, and contracts across a variety of communities including traditionally underrepresented and environmental justice populations.” Says Glenn O. Vickers II, Managing Director at MRV Group.
Additional findings can be found here: Results | New York – 2022 Offshore Wind Business Supply Chain + DEIJ Survey
About Attentive Energy
Attentive Energy LLC, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies Renewables USA, LLC, is delivering offshore wind opportunities to empower communities today and tomorrow. Attentive Energy is developing an 84,332-acre area located approximately 54 miles from its nearest point to New York and 42 miles from its nearest point to New Jersey. When completed, the project has the potential to generate 3,000 MW of clean energy to power nearly 2.2 million homes. We are guided by deep experience in the offshore sector and a forward-thinking commitment to put people first, on and off the coast. With the power of offshore wind, we will strengthen our communities, forge a new industry, and build an inclusive clean energy economy. For more information, visit www.attentiveenergy.com.
Attentive Energy on social media
- Twitter: @ThisIsAttentive
- LinkedIn: Attentive Energy
About MRV Group
MRV Group is a privately-owned supplier diversity and development firm. MRV provides commercial and industrial product and service solutions for public-private enterprises across various industries with a focus on equitable economic development.
[1] Respondents had the option to select more than one industry.
