DWES enforces City’s Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) Program and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program for federally funded transportation related projects.
The department also engages in outreach and small business capacity building activities, including certifying businesses as local, small local, very small local, nonprofit local, non-profit small local, nonprofit very small local, Small Business Administration local business, and local business-locally produced goods enterprises.
Contract Requirements:
For construction contracts greater than $100,000 and professional services contracts greater than $50,000 you must achieve 50% LBE/SLBE participation. This requirement is satisfied by a 25% LBE and 25% SLBE split, or by 50% SLBE participation. For construction contracts less than $100,000 and professional services contracts less than $50,000, you must outreach to certified local firms, ensuring that a minimum of three local firms is included in the solicitation.
Incentives for compliance:
A minimum bid discount of 5% for meeting the participation requirement
Increased points and discounts as the level of local and small local business participation increases
Mentor-Protégé Relationships between non-local firms and local certified firms are strongly encouraged