| Education Advisory Services

Workforce Development

Improve business infrastructure and operations

Contractors will be positioned to operate their organizations more effectively, grow responsibly, to avoid poor decisions and to successfully secure bonding.

Learn from wherever you are

All services offered both from our on-site classroom and virtually through web-based technology.

$

Funding

Made possible through funding secured as non-profit organization working on behalf of workforce development for the minority population.

One-on-One Advisory Services

Personalized, one-on-one advisory services are offered concurrently with the class curriculum. The one-on-one consultations begin with an initial assessment of each contractor that reviews the company’s history, ownership, background, capabilities, financials and assessment of successful work performance.

An action plan based on the initial assessment guides the participant through the curriculum. Our surety partners tell us that the major factor that prevents contractors from qualifying for bonding is a lack of strong financial presentation.

We focus on a deep dive into each participant’s financials and work with them to reach their optimal financial presentation to prepare them for sustainable growth.

Bonding Readiness Segment (BRS) Scoring Metric

MBDI utilizes an assessment and monitoring system to periodically assess each participant’s level of “bond-ability” and provide a road map of action steps toward successful bonding.

Measures

company’s ability to be bonded on its own accord.

Utilized to Assess

banking credit since some of the underwriting standards for surety credit and banking credit are similar.

Assists

growing contractors to analyze all organizational functions, and work toward sustainable improvement and growth potential.

Supports

the surety bonding readiness process.

MBDI’s Capital Access Fund

Key to a contractor’s success is access to external sources of working capital and collateral. MBDI seeks to establish a Capital Access Fund to help address the issue of inadequate capitalization that has posed a longstanding barrier to minority contractor growth. Within the $500,000 to $2 million contract price range, capital access is of particular importance because project and company financing become more important during the bonding approval process. In most cases, a contractor will meet the bonding underwriting criteria for both character and capacity.

However, many will not meet the underwriting criteria for capital. If the contractor does not have access to 10-15% of the project value available to fund the job, he or she may not be able to mobilize the site, make payroll, or pay suppliers, which could stop work. Access to capital is critically important because surety underwriters need the assurance that risks will be minimized. Reducing the potential risk of loss for the underwriter opens the doors to bonding opportunities for emerging contractors.

The fund will be utilized as necessary to both offer collateral to leverage bonding for the emerging contractor and to provide short-term bridge loans for project initiation costs such as mobilization, payroll, payments to subcontractors, and the purchase of supplies and equipment. Access to the fund will allow contractors the opportunity to bid on jobs that would not otherwise be possible.

Working with the guidance of MBDI and oversight of funds control, contractor participants will be able to apply all of the new knowledge and skills acquired through the micro and macro-educational components of the education advisory services. As they successfully complete assisted projects, they build equity in their business, and grow sustainably so that they will ultimately not require assistance.


Case Studies

The following case studies of program participant firms exemplify the depth and breadth of the MBDI model. Challenges and issues may differ from firm to firm but the program’s methodical approach to appropriate infrastructure and management, and therefore bonding, creates a path to success, growth and opportunity for each firm.

ABC Pavement Company

EFG Construction Company

LMN Enterprises

XYZ Management Corp

Participant Testimonials

Gloria James

Owner
C. James Plumbing

“The whole idea of getting bonded was intimidating but I knew I needed a bond if I wanted to bid for the more profitable public jobs. The consultants at MBDI broke down into manageable steps what I needed to do to get bonded. Now I am bidding as a prime on public jobs where I can make more money.”

Cadil Rodriguez

Owner and CEO
CIP Construction Group

“I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I thought my company was running great, until we hit a speed bump and I realized I needed help. MBDI helped me back up, retool, and prepare to grow stronger. Now I run my construction business as a CEO, and the sky is the limit.“

D. Savi Prashad

Owner and CEO
Risa Management Corporation

“MBDI’s bonding readiness training was time well spent. Over the course of training, I followed a clear road map to strengthen my company. We now have a bond program with the number one Surety Company in the world, and are well positioned to make more money, and grow sustainably.“

Anonymous

“Since starting the program…we have been provided a great deal of information and training, particularly in accounting. We have learned how to monitor and track inventory, managing cash flow, and preparing W.I.P reports. In the last month I am pleased to announce that we have been awarded two small projects, and one large HVAC renovation project…We also have been awarded a maintenance contract…in part by just mentioning that we are in the mentor program.“

Anonymous

“Throughout the various workshops and webinars offered by the (DASNY Bond) program, I’ve experienced a number of paradigm shifts about how I manage my business. We’ve gained useful knowledge that has helped us to reconstruct and revitalize some of our infrastructures. We’ve taken the advice from experts that were brought in to make presentations, and have streamlined our processes. We are a stronger and more marketable company than we were a year ago. Thank you for the investment of your time and resources.“

To read complete testimonial letters from program participants, please click on the links below:

Joseph Herbert, President, A-M Electric, Inc.

Creating Jobs

One of the most significant elements of our program and the flagship of our organizational mission is to connect our program participants with work. We engage government agencies and prime contractors in the dialogue around the importance of “unbundling” projects to create jobs of manageable size and scope for our participants to bid. Without biddable projects, minority participation cannot happen, and without minority participation, disparity in government contracting will continue unchecked.

Moreover, once our contractors engage in the education program and secure bonding, their firms are empowered to grow sustainably. Strong MWBE firms are encouraged to hire individuals from their community, creating grassroots economic development in the form of good-paying jobs.

This is a direct way to reduce the unemployment rate within disenfranchised communities as well as to offer new and often non-traditional employment opportunities to women and minorities.