May 01, 2000


Columbia Primes The Pump To Do Business With Its Neighbors

By Lauren Marshall

Columbia recently hosted a meeting with 200 neighboring companies and professionals in an effort to expand its partnerships with local businesses in Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx and further encourage positive economic activity within its surrounding communities.

Organized by the Offices of Community Affairs and the Executive Vice President for Administration, the breakfast meeting drew construction maintenance firms, custodial services companies, hardware stores, communications firms and other professionals such as accountants, architects and graphic designers. The attendees learned about the University's purchasing needs and how to do business with four key administrative departments. The breakfast also gave local businesses an opportunity to link up one-on-one with administrators in search of departmental goods and services.

Since President George Rupp's arrival at Columbia, the university has sought to foster programs that exert a strong, positive impact on the neighboring communities, from community development to the day-to-day activities and operations of the University. In the early stages of its development, Columbia faculty members Lionel Mc Intyre and Richard Schaffer provided academic support for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, which today is attracting private investment to one of the most economically depressed areas in Manhattan. While working with the Empowerment Zone on long-term strategies, Columbia has encouraged local economic development through minority and local hiring initiatives and local purchasing efforts in a variety of departments.

More that 50 percent of the university's annual purchases are made in New York City, resulting in $2 billion worth of direct and indirect spending in the city. While the economic impact on the city is significant, administrators believe that its spending can be targeted to have a more direct impact on Upper Manhattan and its residents.

"Although we purchase $35 million in goods and services in Harlem and its surrounding communities, we believe we can do better," said Executive Vice President for Administration Emily Lloyd. "In order to do this we must build business relationships one by one. Today we have an opportunity to get some of those business relationships in place."

According to the vice presidents of Institutional Real Estate, Facilities Management, Student Services and Support Services (which includes purchasing), opportunities exist for local businesses that provide goods and services related to construction and renovation, food products, catering and general departmental supplies.

Ken Knuckles, vice president of Support Services, noted four pathways to doing business with the University:

  • Construction firms can gain access to small jobs and demonstrate the quality of their work through Facilities Management's task order list, which includes 68% minority and locally-owned subcontractors who are regularly called to complete small projects.
  • A new vendor questionnaire available through Support Services will make it easier to notify local businesses of opportunities to bid on Purchasing contracts.
  • As a major research institution, Columbia receives federal grants subject to Small Business Administration's sub-contracting goals. Last year $87 million was awarded to SBA Certified businesses. To be eligible for consideration, local vendors must register directly with SBA and be listed in its national data base, Pro Net.
  • Local businesses can also register on Columbia's new local vendor directory, which is targeted to Columbia's departmental administrators, faculty, staff and others within the Morningside Area Alliance's 16 member institutions, who are in need of goods/services. Much like an online yellow pages for local businesses, the online directory is a searchable database of over 100 businesses that provide goods and services, from architects to special occasion cakes.

Not only did the meeting give those within the greater Harlem area the opportunity to understand how Columbia does business, it also gave members of the Harlem Business Alliance, Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Abyssinian Development Corporation and the Harlem Congregation for Community Improvement organization (HCCI) the chance to link up with each other.

"In December, President Rupp spoke to the University's efforts to further encourage links with our communities during the Harlem Business Alliance Annual Awards Dinner," said Larry Dais, assistant vice president for Public Affairs and director of Community Affairs for Columbia, whose office was instrumental in reaching out to attendees from the community. "Today, we have given the 'how to' do business with Columbia by putting those people responsible for institutional spending face to face with the heads of local businesses. We hope our message is clear: Columbia knows where our future business partners reside--within our surrounding communities."

According to Marietta Dunn, former Chair of Community Board 9 and creator of a new community development organization, the meeting was a success. She met four people who were willing to provide services for her developing business. "An invitation from Columbia forces us to take time out of busy schedules," said Dunn.

Through the efforts of the Office of Community Affairs, Columbia is reaching out again to local businesses on May 4, 2000, this time in an effort to link local caterers, bakeries, florists and event organizers with university staff who plan dinners, receptions or special events on campus. University staff will be able to meet vendors and see their products during the "Taste of New York" event to be held between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the Low Library rotunda.

In addition to its efforts to encourage economic growth in the community, Columbia also maintains numerous community service programs. Among them are: the Urban Technical Assistance Program, created in 1995 to offer low-cost urban planning technical assistance to neighboring community development corporations working toward urban improvement; the Double Discovery Center, now entering its 35th year, offering tutoring programs for neighborhood youth; and Community Impact, an umbrella organization that manages efforts of over 1,000 student volunteers supporting 25 service programs in Harlem and Morningside Heights.