Results | New York - 2022 Offshore Wind Business Supply Chain + DEIJ Survey


  • Methodology:

    • Survey website was created www.businesssurveygrants.com as a permanent resource to

    provide small/diverse firms a platform to provide honest and transparent insights. The survey

    implementation included.

    o Mobile first user experience.

    o Text messaging response capabilities

    o Deployment of a communication system that via CRM system HubSpot for mass email

    communication.

    o Direct call and email efforts working with

     Community-based partners with Hub Zone communities

     Accessing New York’s MWBE/SDVOB database

    o Direct on the ground engagement was made to organizations through industry

    activations including American Clean Power, Business Network for Offshore Wind

    Conferences, and pop-up activations via MRV Group’s Offshore Wind + Job Expos assets.

    o Total number of participants – Over 120

    o Survey was made available publicly from September 1 – December 18, 2023

    o Over 60 participants of the survey were selected to be provided a business development

    grant that includes.

     Expedited contact and grant notification and matchmaking.

     Fund development masterclass

     Business marketing feature

     Private small group meetings with offshore wind industry leaders

    • Most participants used grant funding to assist with employment & training of new staff

    • Many companies have a hard time finding grants or don't know where to look. Many have requested help finding grants or assistance on where to find previously awarded grants to help them understand how money is awarded.

    • Small business owners are looking for smaller grant contracts compared to grants that have a difficult application process for more money than they are searching for.

    • Some participants have felt discouraged with procurement process as they have experienced procurement teams that prefer to work with familiar companies over newer small businesses.

    • Payment terms should be cleared and paid on time. Some participants have shown concern with competition of a contract and still await payment due to contract agreement.

    • Small business request more promotion of grants or education on securing grants. Many newer businesses seem to have a wide interpretation of the procurement process

  • Participant 1:

    • It would be helpful to have more outreach and available information about

    • MWBE/SDVOB certification programs. Also, it would be helpful to have assistance in

    • identifying/applying for grants and other opportunities available throughout New York

    • State. Lastly, easier access to capital (without such stringent document requirements) would greatly help as well.

    Participant 2:

    • Access to funding strategies, business mentoring and development opportunities are key to being successful and to support the offshore wind industry. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the needs from developers and how w business can fit in. The industry lacks diversity, equity and inclusion which has an impact on the workforce, skills and overall business necessary to move the industry forward.

    • Apprenticeships, mentoring, shadowing, internships, and showcasing the work of the industry is necessary to attract and retain talent. The industry must remember that it’s competing against other industries for the same talent.

    Participant 3:

    • The absolute need for project management in the offshore wind space, and the criticality of process efficiency and oversight provided by certified project management personnel cannot be overstated. Please advance forward with this initiative with all due haste.

    • 25% of participants (all DEIJ businesses) do not hold a supplier diversity set aside certificate – MWBE, SDVOB, DBE, SBE and others.

    • 42% of participants said that a lack of awareness of grant opportunities is a significant challenge

    for their organization.

    • 76% of participants stated that delayed invoice payments 30 days beyond the invoice due dates

    have put their businesses at risk.

    • 60% of participants do not have their own formal supplier diversity program.

 1. Survey Participants By Generation

  • 3% The Silent Generation (Born 1928 – 1945)

  • 18% Baby Boomers (Born 1946 – 1964)

  • 45% Generation X (Born 1965 – 1980)

  • 29% Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996)

  • 5% Generation Z (Born 1997 – 2012)

 

2. Number of Years The Organization Has Been In Existence

  • 12% | 1 - 11 months

  • 6% | 1 Year

  • 31% | 2 – 5 Years

  • 18% | 6 – 9 Years

  • 12.5% | 10 – 15 Years

  • 3% | 16 – 19 Years

  • 6% | 20 – 29  Years

  • 1%  | 30 – 39 Years

  • 2.5% | 40 – 49 Years

  • 3% | 50 –99 Years

  • 5% | Over 100 Years

 

3. Organization registered to do business in New York

  • 88.3 % | Yes

  • 11.6 % | No

 

4. Are you planning to register to do business in New York State within the next 12 months?

  • 100% | Yes

  • 0% | No

 

5. What region of New York does your organization currently serve?

  • 5 % | None of the above

  • 31.5% | All 10 Regions

  • 1 % | North Country

  • 3% | Western NY

  • 1% | Finger Lakes

  • 1% | Southern Tier

  • 4.5 % | Central NY

  • 2% |  Mohawk Valley

  • 4.5 % | Capital Region

  • 13% | Mid-Hudson

  • 52% | New York City

  • 41% | Long Island

*business was permitted to select more then one option.

 

6. What is your organizations area of business?

  • 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

 

7. Please indicate which option best reflects your organization.

  • 63% | Open Shop An open shop is a place of employment at which one is not required to join or financially support a union as a condition of hiring or continued employment.

  • 5% | Union An organized association of workers, often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests.

  • 20% | Prevailing Wage Is the basic hourly rate of wages and benefits paid to a number of similarly employed workers in a given geography.

  • 12% | Other

  • 0% | N/A

 

8. Does your organization currently operate a formal supplier diversity program?

  • 40% |Yes

  • 60% | No

9. Was your organization planning to conduct business within the offshore wind industry prior to being made aware of and completing this survey?

  • 65% | Yes

  • 35% | No

 

10. Please indicate your organizations business structure.

  • 82% | For-Profit

  • 17% | Non-Profit

 

11. What is your organization's business enterprise formation?

  • 5% | Sole Proprietorship

  • 1% | Partnership

  • 0% | Limited Partnership

  • 43% | Corporation

  • 47% | Limited Liability Company

  • 0% | Cooperative

  • 2% | Other

 

12. Majority Ownership

  • 47% | Woman

  • 36% | Man

  • 10% | White

  • 58% | Black or African American

  • 11 % | Hispanic

  • 2% American Indian or Alaska Native

  • 2% | Asian

  • 0% | Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

  • 16% | Veteran

  • 4% | Justice- Involved

  • 4% | LGBTQ

  • 7%  | Other

 

13. Does your business hold any of the following business certifications as of today's date?

  • 25% | None of the above

  • 25% | Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) - New York State

  • 27% | Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) - New York State

  • 14% | Women Business Enterprise (WBE) - New York State

  • 20% | Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) - New York City

  • 22 % | Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) - New York City

  • 12% | Women Business Enterprise (WBE) - New York City

  • 5 % | Locally Based Enterprise (LBE) - New York City

  • 0% | Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE) - New York City

  • 23% | Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

  • 18% | Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB)

  • 5% | Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE)

  • 4 % | Historically Disadvantaged Business Zone (HUBZone)

  • 7% | Small Business Administration SBA 8(a)

  • 8% | Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)

  • 21% | Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

  • 6% | National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)

  • 5% | Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

  • 0% | LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE)

  • 1% | Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

  • 9% | Other

 

14. What type of business does your organization conduct?

  • 33% | Commodities

  • 62% | Professional Services

  • 18 % | Non – Construction Services

  • 27% | Construction

 

15. Has your organization applied for any grant funding opportunities within the last 5 years?

  • 40% | Yes

  • 60% | No

 

16. On a scale from 1 (least challenging) to 5 (most challenging); please rate the aspects of applying for grant opportunities for your organization.

Identifying grant opportunities for your organization.

  • 9% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 2% | 2

  • 14% | 3

  • 21% | 4

  • 42% | 5 - Most Challenging

Comprehension of grant instructions and language.

  • 10% | N/A

  • 16% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 21% | 2

  • 11% | 3

  • 21% | 4

  • 21% | 5 - Most Challenging

Meeting insurance requirements.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 26% - Least Challenging

  • 16%

  • 14%

  • 19%

  • 14% - Most Challenging

Meeting bonding requirements.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 20% - Least Challenging

  • 6%

  • 16%

  • 13%

  • 20% - Most Challenging

Having the financial resources to contract or hire professional grant writing specialists.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 6% - Least Challenging

  • 6%

  • 4%

  • 11%

  • 53% - Most Challenging

Having financial resources to conduct grant work first prior to receiving grant funding.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 9% - Least Challenging

  • 4%

  • 16%

  • 11%

  • 46% - Most Challenging

Business is not old enough to qualify for grant opportunities.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 37% - Least Challenging

  • 16%

  • 9%

  • 11%

  • 16% - Most Challenging

Having the internal staff with expertise to apply for grant opportunities.

  • 0% - N/A

  • 11% - Least Challenging

  • 9%

  • 9%

  • 20%

  • 32% - Most Challenging

17. On a scale from 1 (least favorable) to 5 (most favorable); please rate the payment terms that best support your business.

PIA: Payment in advance

  • 37% | N/A

  • 0% | - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 0%

  • 0%

  • 62% | 5 - Most Favorable

Net 7 - Payment expected after the invoice date

  • 0% / - N/A

  • 0% | - Least Challenging

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 76% | 5 - Most Favorable

Net 10 - Payment expected after the invoice date

  • 51% / - N/A

  • 12% | - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 0%

  • 25%

  • 12% | 5 - Most Favorable

Net 30 - Payment expected after the invoice date

  • 51% / - N/A

  • 12% | - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 25%

  • 0% | 5 - Most Favorable

Net 60 - Payment expected after the invoice date

  • 52% | N/A

  • 12% - Least Challenging

  • 12%

  • 12%

  • 12%

  • 0% | 5 - Most Favorable

Net 90 - Payment expected after the invoice date

  • 51% | N/A

  • 25% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 0% | 5 - Most Favorable

EOM: End of month

  • 25% | N/A

  • 15% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 15%

  • 0%

  • 30%

  • 15% | 5 - Most Favorable

COD: Cash on delivery

  • 38% | N/A

  • 25% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 25% | 5 - Most Favorable

CND: Cash next delivery

  • 38% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 25%

  • 0%

  • 12% | 5 - Most Favorable

CBS: Cash before shipment

  • 39% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 37% - 5 - Most Favorable

CIA: Cash in advance

  • 39% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 37% | 5 - Most Favorable

CWO: Cash with order

  • 39% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 12%

  • 0%

  • 37% | 5 - Most Favorable

Stage payments: Set payments over a period of time, agreed upon by the client and seller

  • 39% | N/A

  • 12% | 1 - Least Challenging

  • 0%

  • 37%

  • 0%

  • 12% | 5 - Most Favorable

 

18. What are the types of procurement opportunities that you have applied for within the last 5 years?

  • 14% | None of the above

  • 57% | Fixed Price Contract - A fixed-price contract is a type of contract such that the payment amount does not depend on resources used or time expended by the contractor.

  • 14% | Cost Reimbursable Contract - A cost-reimbursement contract is an agreement between two parties to provide payment for allowable costs incurred by the other party. The final pricing of the deal is determined later based on the underlying deal and the actual costs it took to complete a project.

  • 57% | Time and Material Contract - Time and materials contracts specify the scope of a project but are open-ended. They set out prices for materials and hourly rates for labor, and the client is billed at those rates for as many hours and as much material as is required to complete the project.

19. Has your organization hired a Certified Project Manager(s) (PMP) on payroll or subcontracted them within the last 5 years?

  • 20% | Yes

  • 80% | No

20. Please select the grant source(s) that best apply to your past grant submissions.

  • 37% | Federal

  • 75% | State

  • 75% | City

  • 25% | County

  • 2% | Town

  • 0% | Village

  • 50% | Foundation

  • 12% | Other