Translation Agency LMLS Gets Certified to Support New York City’s Growing Translation and Interpreting Needs
LM Language Services, Inc. today announced that it has recently been certified by the New York City Small Business Administration as a minority and women-owned business (M/WBE). The M/WBE program helps minority businesses get a foothold in New York City contracting by requiring city requiring city agencies to award contracts for M/WBE businesses.
New York, NY, April 27, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Women-owned small businesses have been hailed in the news as champions of America’s economic recovery and the driving force behind the much-anticipated job growth. LM Language Services, a New York City-based translation and interpreting company, is a perfect example.
Started at the height of the recession in January 2009, LMLS faced tall odds just trying to survive. Yet the agency landed contracts with highly-visible clients, including translation work for Fortune 500 companies and interpreting for both American and foreign dignitaries, and proved that growth was possible even in the tough economy.
The most unexpected difficulty, according to the agency’s founder Veronica Mehno, was getting the government contracts, especially with the local government. Mehno found out first-hand that women-owned small businesses are underrepresented in the government marketplace at the federal , state and local levels.
One of the reasons Mehno chose to start a business providing language services was because of New York’s high demand for multilingual support. City government is required to offer services in the six most common foreign languages spoken in New York City: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian and French Creole. For those city residents with limited English-language proficiency who speak languages other than these six help from qualified translators is available on a case-by-case basis.
Various city agencies, including social and emergency services providers, schools and hospitals need qualified translators and interpreters. Mehno learned that getting her company certified as a minority woman-owned business would open more doors and help her win these contracts.
The rules of government contracting are very complex. They require the agencies to not only find the qualified vendors, but to also allocate a “fair share” of contracts to minority and women-owned small businesses.
“It’s a two-way street. Getting LMLS certified as M/WBE presents lots of opportunities for the company to bid on government contracts, but it also makes it easier for the agencies’ language coordinators to find and contact us. In the past 15 months we’ve worked with a variety of foreign clients, from heads of state and foreign ambassadors to Nobel Prize winners. I am excited to be able to offer our high-quality services to the local community,” said Mehno.
Currently certified by New York City, LM Language Services is in the process of getting certified at the state level.
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Started at the height of the recession in January 2009, LMLS faced tall odds just trying to survive. Yet the agency landed contracts with highly-visible clients, including translation work for Fortune 500 companies and interpreting for both American and foreign dignitaries, and proved that growth was possible even in the tough economy.
The most unexpected difficulty, according to the agency’s founder Veronica Mehno, was getting the government contracts, especially with the local government. Mehno found out first-hand that women-owned small businesses are underrepresented in the government marketplace at the federal , state and local levels.
One of the reasons Mehno chose to start a business providing language services was because of New York’s high demand for multilingual support. City government is required to offer services in the six most common foreign languages spoken in New York City: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian and French Creole. For those city residents with limited English-language proficiency who speak languages other than these six help from qualified translators is available on a case-by-case basis.
Various city agencies, including social and emergency services providers, schools and hospitals need qualified translators and interpreters. Mehno learned that getting her company certified as a minority woman-owned business would open more doors and help her win these contracts.
The rules of government contracting are very complex. They require the agencies to not only find the qualified vendors, but to also allocate a “fair share” of contracts to minority and women-owned small businesses.
“It’s a two-way street. Getting LMLS certified as M/WBE presents lots of opportunities for the company to bid on government contracts, but it also makes it easier for the agencies’ language coordinators to find and contact us. In the past 15 months we’ve worked with a variety of foreign clients, from heads of state and foreign ambassadors to Nobel Prize winners. I am excited to be able to offer our high-quality services to the local community,” said Mehno.
Currently certified by New York City, LM Language Services is in the process of getting certified at the state level.
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Contact
LM Language Services, Inc
Veronica Mehno
917-319-9932
www.lmlanguageservices.com
Veronica Mehno
917-319-9932
www.lmlanguageservices.com
Contact
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