Florida Black Chamber Of Commerce & Minority Businesses File Federal Suit Against Florida Alleging Contracting Discrimination


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March 13, 2010 6:12 a.m. EST

Topics: racism, construction and property, social issue, civil, economy, business and finance, crime, law and justice, laws, United States
Linda Young - AHN Editor

Talahassee, FL, United States (AHN) - A group of minority businesses claiming the state of Florida discriminates in contracting filed suit in federal court

The suit also questions the integrity of the bid and scoring process by the EOG and raises concerns that black vendors rarely were awarded large contracts where they were the prime contractor.

N-tersections Communications Group, Steele Communications Group, Medium Four, Circle of One and the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce on Friday announced the suit.

In a press release, the group said it had filed a federal suit against "Governor Charlie Crist, the Florida Department of Management Services and the Moore/Ketchum Partnership for damages and declaratory and injunctive relief against racial and ethnic discrimination. The suit was filed as a result of alleged discriminatory practices in the Executive Office of the Governor's (EOG) 2010 Census RFP 269, and asks the court to determine whether former Gov. Jeb Bush's One Florida Initiative is being adhered to."

In support of the suit, the group points out that state spending on African-American-owned businesses had declined by 88 percent since fiscal year 2002-2003 and that most of the contracts the state awarded to minority-owned firms went to companies owned by women.

"Black vendors are too often reduced to playing the role of subcontractor as the only means of doing business with the State," said Gene Franklin, President and Founder of the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce.


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