On Tuesday, January 23, the state released its long-awaited Disparity Study, which examined the awarding of government contracts for Minority and Women-Owned (MWBE) businesses. The results of the study, which aims to determine if certain ethnic and gender groups get a proportionate amount of government contracts, appears to be far worse than expected showing minority groups have lost billions in potential government contracts.

The study examined the awarding of prime contracts for:



• Construction (valued at over $65,000 to $5.71 million).
• Professional services (valued at over $40,000 to $800,000).
• Goods and services (valued at over $40,000 to $360,000).

In short, the report determined there was a disparity for all groups in all three categories of prime contracts, with the exception of American Indians and Alaskan Natives where the report indicated there was “insufficient data.”

The CCSNJ has been inquiring about the publication of this report for years, holding a Camden-centric virtual program on it in August of 2020, as well as at the CCSNJ’s Diversity Forum in September of the same year. In 2021, the CCSNJ gathered leaders of the state’s diverse Chamber’s to talk about their predictions for the report, and hope that its publication will incite real change.

To read the full Disparity Study, click here.

To read Governor Murphy’s press release on the Study, click here.