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About this Center
The Boston MBDA Business Center is a program federally-funded by the U. S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and operated by the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC). The Council has been dedicated to serving MBEs in New England for over 35 years.
The Center provides enhanced access to vetted, highly capable and competitive MBEs, which will help drive the buyer’s business through competitive pricing, innovation and quality goods and services. The Center will also provide strategic advice on supplier diversity programs to help make buyers more effective and efficient in meeting its goals.
MBE Eligibility
The Boston Business Center offers services to MBEs owned and controlled by:
- US citizens or resident aliens admitted for lawful admission to the United States and that
- Fall into specific ethnic minority groups: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives, Alaska Native Corporations and Tribal entities), Asian Indian Americans and Hasidic Jewish Americans. See 15 CFR § 1400.1-.2 and Executive Order 11625.
Although the Boston Business Center can offer services to all MBE firms, target clients include eligible MBE firms with one or both of the following characteristics:
- Annual revenues of over $1,000,000 or
- On track for rapid growth, with the capability of generating significant employment and long term economic growth.
The Center will provide enhanced access to vetted, highly capable and competitive MBEs, which will help drive the buyer’s business through competitive pricing, innovation and quality goods and services. The Center will also provide strategic advice on supplier diversity programs to help make buyers more effective and efficient in meeting its goals.
How the Boston MBDA Business Center Helps
Core Business Services
| Global Business Development | |
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Services include identification of export markets, facilitation of global transactions, international trade missions and market analysis, and overseas market promotion assistance. |
| Access to Capital | |
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Services include identification of domestic and global financing opportunities, equity financing, brokerage of financial transactions, identification and closure of merger and acquisition transactions. |
| Access to Contracts | |
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Services include identification of procurement opportunities, solicitation analysis, bid and proposal preparation, negotiation and closing, research contract award histories. |
| Access to Markets | |
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Services include government procurement assistance, private sector contract identification and specialized certification assistance including 8(a), and assistance with market research. |
| Strategic Business Consulting | |
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Services include sales consulting and forecasting, market feasibility studies, operations management and quality control, bid preparation and bonding (construction), and manufacturing facility leasing. |
Management Assistance Team
A group of skilled and highly experienced individuals available to consult with clients on a wide variety of business issues. Acting as a force multiplier for the Business Center staff proving consultation free of charge to clients.
Location
100 Huntington Avenue, Copley Place,
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone #: 617-986-6366
Project Director: Warren Bacon
Staff Information
Warren Bacon, Project Director
Mr. Bacon is the Project Director for the MBDA Business Center – Boston. Prior to joining the Business Center he was Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Initiative For A New Economy (INE), a non-profit consulting organization dedicated to helping minority owned businesses grow, gain scale and become larger and more competitive.
Prior to joining INE, he served as SVP of Small Business Credit and Operations for TD Banknorth, where he managed two loan underwriting centers and the bank's $800MM small business loan portfolio. He also held several key positions at BankBoston and Fleet Banks, was a Director in BankBoston's loan review department, the Senior Credit Officer for BankBoston Mortgage Corporation, the 7th largest originator of residential mortgages in the nation, managed the bank’s Private Banking division for eastern Massachusetts and served as Risk Manager for Fleet's International Private Banking.His commitment to community service is expressed in his Board memberships at Children Services of Roxbury, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, and Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Bacon holds a B.A. in Economics from Oberlin College and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago.
