Updated August 11, 2026 Covering the people, projects & policy that build New York Get The Punch List →
New York  •  Public Works  •  Procurement

The RFI Wire

New York Construction Intelligence

The Toolbox

Everything a contractor needs to bid public work in New York — verified links, no fluff

Public work runs on paperwork most people learn the hard way. This page is the shortcut: every portal, rate schedule, certification, and program that matters, with plain-English notes on what each one is for. Links verified by our newsroom; a wrong or dead link is a bug — tell us.

The Bid Playbook — screen before you spend. Five steps, in order: 1. Find the real opportunity — search City Record, PASSPort, the agency's own page, and the state portal; never rely on one source. 2. Check entry requirements first — prequalification, vendor registration, certifications, bonding, insurance, and 220-i registration, before a dollar of estimating time. 3. Read the labor package — the wage determination, classifications, supplements, PLA terms, and certified-payroll rules that control your price. 4. Build the pursuit list — due dates, walkthroughs, Q&A cutoffs, plan holders, apparent lows, awards, in one place (the The RFP Wire exists for exactly this). 5. Turn public data into action — DOB filings, Open Data, ACRIS, and bid results tell you who to call and which opportunity is actually moving.

Bid & Project Portals

Where the work is posted and the documents live. Register for the login-gated ones before you need them — approval can take days.

NYC PASSPort Login to bidThe city's end-to-end procurement platform. Browse solicitations without an account; bidding requires vendor enrollment. Register before you need it — approval takes days.passport.cityofnewyork.us City Record OnlineEvery official NYC notice — solicitations, awards, hearings. Free account enables email alerts. The paper of record for city procurement.a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov NYS Contract ReporterThe state's official contract gazette — every state agency and authority must advertise here. Free registration for tailored alerts.nyscr.ny.gov DASNY RFPs & BidsOne of the largest public builders in the country — CUNY, SUNY, and state health facilities — with MWBE/SDVOB goals listed per opportunity.dasny.org MTA C&D OpportunitiesActive MTA solicitations. Documents require registration at the Business Service Center (mymta.info). Bids now require your NYSDOL 220-i certificate.mta.info MTA Vendor Portal LoginRegistration portal for MTA solicitation documents and vendor self-service. (B2GNow at mta.dbesystem.com is the separate DBE-compliance system — not a bid board.)mymta.info SCA Vendor Access Login to applySchool Construction Authority prequalification and vendor registration — the gateway to the biggest school-construction pipeline in America.dobusiness.nycsca.org SCA InfoHub — Bids & TabsSCA's advertised bids, limited bids, and bid tabulations. Yes, the azurewebsites.net address is really SCA's; tables can show empty between bid cycles.scainfohub.azurewebsites.net Port Authority SolicitationsPANYNJ construction, CM-at-risk, design-build, and P3 solicitations across the airports, ports, PATH, and the bus terminal rebuild.panynj.gov NYCHA iSupplier LoginNYCHA's free procurement portal (via NYC.ID) — required to bid, ask questions, and track the authority's constant stream of RFQs.nyc.gov/nycha DDC — Work With UsThe Department of Design & Construction's contracting hub (solicitations run through PASSPort). Their live URL genuinely says "staging-" — not our typo.nyc.gov/ddc DEP Bids & ProposalsThe city's biggest construction spender — $1B+ awarded yearly in water and sewer work.nyc.gov/dep NYSDOT Highway LettingsState highway lettings by date with downloadable bid advertisements — Regions 8, 10, and 11 cover the metro.dot.ny.gov OGS D&C — ESB BoardOffice of General Services construction bids statewide, including metro-area state facilities.online.ogs.ny.gov NYCEDC RFPsDevelopment sites, construction, and consulting RFPs — and NYCEDC publishes bid results too.edc.nyc Battery Park City Authority RFPsBPCA's procurement opportunities — a steady niche pipeline of parks, infrastructure, and resiliency work in Lower Manhattan.bpca.ny.gov Payee Information Portal (PIP) LoginWhere you actually get paid: manage your payee account, track city payments, and report subcontractor payments.a127-pip.nyc.gov BidNet — Empire State Purchasing Group LoginAggregator for county, town, school-district, and authority bids across the state. Free registration.bidnetdirect.com NYC Open DataFree machine-readable city data — the City Record and DOB permit datasets are the bid desk's raw feed.opendata.cityofnewyork.us

MWBE / DBE Certification & Small Business

Certifications unlock set-asides, mentor programs, and discretionary awards. City, State, Port Authority, and federal are separate certifications — get all that apply.

NYC M/WBE Certification (SBS)The city certification — unlocks set-asides and discretionary awards up to $1.5M. Apply through SBS Connect (sbsconnect.nyc.gov).nyc.gov/mwbe NYS MWBE Certification (ESD)The state certification — separate from the city's. Required for MWBE goals on state and authority contracts (DASNY, MTA state-funded, OGS).esd.ny.gov Port Authority MWSDBEPANYNJ runs its own certification (MWBE 5-year, SBE/SDVOB 3-year) — a third separate application.panynj.gov Federal DBE (NYS UCP)The federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification — required for DBE goals on federally funded work (FTA-funded MTA contracts).nysucp.newnycontracts.com SBA 8(a) ProgramNine-year federal program: set-aside and sole-source access plus business development for disadvantaged small firms.sba.gov NYS SDVOB CertificationService-disabled veteran certification for the state's 6% SDVOB participation goals.ogs.ny.gov/veterans NYC Community HiringThe workforce-hiring mandate on city contracts. Note: this replaced HireNYC for solicitations issued after July 1, 2025 — old references to HireNYC are obsolete.nyc.gov/communityhiring SBS Business CoursesFree city courses: financing, certification workshops, surety-bond readiness — in multiple languages.nyc-business.nyc.gov

Prevailing Wage & Labor Law

Prevailing wage is the government-set minimum wage-plus-benefits package for each trade on public work — in NYC it generally tracks the union rate. City and state money triggers NY Labor Law 220: the NYC Comptroller sets and enforces schedules on City contracts; the NYS Department of Labor handles state and other public work. Federal money triggers Davis-Bacon: federal wage determinations (published on SAM.gov) plus WH-347 certified payroll. Many NYC jobs are covered by both — the higher applicable rate governs. The bid documents always control; never price off a generic web summary.

A PLA (project labor agreement) is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement negotiated for one specific project between the owner and the building trades — binding every contractor on the job, union or not, to uniform work rules, referral procedures, and no-strike clauses. Insider point most contractors get wrong: a PLA does not automatically bar a nonunion contractor from bidding — the specific agreement controls. Read the actual PLA before you price or sign.

Before you bid anything: NYS now requires contractor registration under Labor Law 220-i (in effect since Dec. 30, 2024 — $200, $100 for MWBEs) before bidding or working public projects, and the state's certified-payroll mandate went electronic at the end of 2025. Register before you spend a dollar on estimating.

NYC Comptroller Wage SchedulesThe official Labor Law 220 rate book for NYC public work — construction and building-service schedules, updated annually.comptroller.nyc.gov NYS DOL Public Work & Prevailing WageState wage schedules, enforcement, and the electronic certified-payroll portal (mandatory since Dec. 2025).dol.ny.gov Davis-Bacon Determinations (SAM.gov)The federal rate book — search wage determinations by locality for federally funded work.sam.gov NYS Contractor Registry (220-i) RequiredMandatory before bidding public work since Dec. 2024. Includes a public dashboard to verify your subs are registered too.dol.ny.gov NYSIFThe state fund for workers' comp, disability, and Paid Family Leave coverage — the certificates every public contract demands.nysif.com NYS Workers' Comp BoardCoverage requirements, compliance, and the coverage-verification tools agencies use to check you.wcb.ny.gov Certified Payroll — WH-347The official weekly certified-payroll form and instructions for Davis-Bacon jobs.dol.gov Davis-Bacon Compliance HubU.S. DOL Wage & Hour Division guidance for federally funded construction.dol.gov NYC PLA Overview (311)The city's plain-language explainer on Project Labor Agreements.portal.311.nyc.gov

Unions by Trade

Who supplies labor on union and PLA jobs, trade by trade. Even open-shop contractors need to know these names — they set the prevailing rates.

Building & Construction Trades CouncilThe umbrella council — ~100,000 NYC trades workers across 15 internationals. Start here for the labor map.nycbuildingtrades.org BTEA (contractor side)Management's counterpart: 1,200+ union contractor firms across 27 trade associations.bteany.com Electrical — IBEW Local 3local3ibew.org Elevator — IUEC Local Onelocaloneiuec.com Laborers — Local 79local79.org Excavators — Local 731local731.org Carpenters — NYC District Councilnycdistrictcouncil.com Steamfitters — Local 638steamfitters638.org Plumbers — UA Local 1ualocal1.org Operating Engineers — Local 15iuoelocal15.org Operating Engineers — Local 14-14BBenefit-funds site — the local's main web presence.local14funds.org Ironworkers — Local 40ironworkers40.org Ironworkers — Local 361ironworkers361.com Bricklayers — BAC Local 1baclocal1ny.org Mason Tenders District Councilmasontenders.org Painters — District Council 9districtcouncil9.net Roofers — Local 8roofers8.org Sheet Metal — SMART Local 28smart28.org Teamsters — Local 282Building-material drivers.teamsterslocal282.com Building Service — SEIU 32BJRelevant on occupied-building work.seiu32bj.org

Agency Mentor & Development Programs

The single most underused way into public work: agencies that will literally teach you to be their contractor, with graduated contract sizes.

SCA Mentor ProgramThe oldest and most proven path in: mentored school projects with graduated limits (~$750K, higher in Graduate Mentor), training, and bonding help. Requires SCA prequalification + city MWLBE certification (separate application at nycsca.org/MWLBE/Certification-Process).nycsca.org MTA EDGE (Tiers 1, 2 & Federal)Formerly the SBMP — renamed EDGE. Tier 1: contracts to $1.5M, mentorship, working capital to $150K, no bonding required. Tier 2: to $5M with bonding support. Certification encouraged, not required — and 10-day fast-track payment.mta.info DDC Construction MentorshipClassroom curriculum, one-on-one PM mentorship, and access to DDC's Prequalified List for small/mid GC and facade RFQs. Note: DDC's broader mentoring rolled into the Mayor's citywide O/MWBE program in 2024.nyc.gov/ddc NYCHA Small Business MentorshipMentored entry into NYCHA job-order contracting (plumbing, electrical, carpentry) — firms ≤$5M revenue; application windows roll by trade.nyc.gov/nycha DASNY Opportunity ProgramsMWBE/SDVOB opportunity targeting plus the Capital Management Plan: surety bonding access, credit lines, and back-office support so smaller firms can prime DASNY jobs.dasny.org NYS MWBE Mentor-Protégé (ESD)Pairs certified MWBEs ($100K–$5M revenue sweet spot) with primes on designated state contracts; plus ESD's Bid Ready workshop series.esd.ny.gov Port Authority Mentor-ProtégéGrows PA-certified MWBEs toward larger PA contracts — workshops, coaching, and the 20%/10% MBE/WBE goal environment.panynj.gov HPD Build UpDemand-side pipeline: developers on HPD/HDC-subsidized projects must spend 25%+ with certified M/WBEs — plus capacity-building trainings.nyc.gov/hpd SBS M/WBE MentorsPeer mentorship pairing seasoned public-sector contractors with emerging M/WBEs navigating city contracting.nyc-business.nyc.gov

Bonding & Capital

SBA Surety Bond GuaranteeFederal guarantee behind your bid/performance/payment bonds — contracts to $9M ($14M federal); bid bonds free, 0.6% fee on the rest.sba.gov NYC Contract Financing Loan FundUp to $1,000,000 at up to 3% fixed for firms working or bidding city contracts — the cap doubled from the old $500K figure still cited around the internet.nyc-business.nyc.gov NYS Surety Bond AssistanceState guarantee up to 30% or $600K on bonds for small firms and MWBEs — zero ESD fees, free bond-readiness training.esd.ny.gov MTA Access to Capital & BondingFor EDGE contractors: unsecured loans to 30% of contract value approved in ~10 business days, plus first-bond help. $14.4M lent to date.mta.info SBS Financing AssistanceThe city's front door for contractor financing programs and the NYC Funds Finder.nyc-business.nyc.gov

Training & Associations

OSHA 10 / OSHA 30 OutreachThe federal courses underneath NYC's SST requirements — workers 10-hour, supervisors 30-hour, via OSHA-authorized trainers only.osha.gov NYC Site Safety Training (LL196)SST card requirements — 40-hr worker / 62-hr supervisor — and DOB-registered providers. 2026 update added mental-health training and a renewal grace period.nyc.gov/buildings General Contractors AssociationThe 125-year-old association of NYC's unionized heavy-construction industry — subways, airports, resiliency.gcany.com ABC Empire StateThe merit-shop (open-shop) association: state-approved apprenticeships in nine trades, OSHA/STEP safety programs, advocacy.abcnys.org NAMC NY Tri-StateThe oldest minority-contractor association's local chapter — contractor readiness training, advocacy, contract access.namctristate.org Regional Alliance for Small ContractorsLong-running training programs (Managing Growth, CM certificate). Current programming uncertain — confirm at (212) 268-2991 before relying on a cycle.regional-alliance.org

Regulators & Reference

NYC Dept. of BuildingsPermits, inspections, licensing, code enforcement — the agency every NYC job answers to.nyc.gov/buildings DOB NOW NYC.ID to fileFile jobs, pull permits, schedule inspections — and search any filing by address, BIN, or job number without logging in.a810-dobnow.nyc.gov DOB BISThe legacy system: property profiles, violations, complaints, permit and CO history back decades.a810-bisweb.nyc.gov DOB License SearchVerify any DOB licensee or registration — check your subs before they check you.a810-bisweb.nyc.gov DOB Buildings BulletinsCurrent code interpretations and operational bulletins — where rule changes surface first.nyc.gov/buildings ZOLA (Zoning & Land Use)The city's zoning map — property context for any address in one search.zola.planning.nyc.gov ACRISRecorded property documents (deeds, mortgages, liens) for four boroughs — who really owns the building.a836-acris.nyc.gov HPD OnlineHousing registrations, complaints, and violations — intel on residential work and owners.hpdonline.nyc.gov DOB Job Filings (Open Data)Every DOB job application as a dataset — the raw feed for finding active projects and the GCs running them.data.cityofnewyork.us NYS Dept. of LaborPublic work, apprenticeship, labor standards — the state's labor regulator.dol.ny.gov NYC Business PortalOne-stop for city licenses, permits, and business services.nyc-business.nyc.gov NYC Agency Index (A–Z)Every city department and agency in one directory.nyc.gov

Need help executing? The RFI Wire is published by Managed Construction — certifications, bonding readiness, takeoffs and estimating, bid packaging, and agency prequalification are what our shop does all day. Tell us your trade, target agency, and goal.

Compiled and link-checked by The RFI Wire newsroom, August 2026. Programs and portals change — always confirm requirements on the official page. Nothing here is legal advice.