Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program



MBE / SBE Program Overview

MBE / SBE Directory

Interactive Program Orientation

MBE / SBE Program Forms

Business Training and Resources


International Trade

Current Bid Opportunities


Activities and Events



Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program Overview

 

OUR MISSION
The mission of the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program is to provide excellent customer service to local minority and local small business enterprises and City staff to promote maximum City spending with and diversification of goods and services provided by these businesses. To develop and administer programs which proactively promote the success of minority business and small business enterprises in the marketplace and start-ups, retention and expansion within the corporate City limits of Hollywood, FL, thereby increasing revenues and enhancing the City’s quality of life.
 


PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Hollywood City Commission enacted Ordinance 38.92 to establish the Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program to help ensure the success of its local minority and local small business enterprises.

The City recognizes that proactive steps must be taken to help ensure that local minority and local small business enterprises thrive and continue to benefit our community economically and socially. The program goals are to maximize the City’s and its contractors spending with its qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises; to increase the diversity of businesses with which the City procures goods and services so that the pool of businesses is representative of the business community at large; to promote local business start-ups, retention and expansion and to provide business services that strengthen the local business base. The City will commit the necessary time and resources, both financial and human, to achieve its program goals.


PROGRAM BENEFITS
Businesses qualified to participate in the Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program are provided increased opportunities to do business with the City of Hollywood as prime contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers. Other benefits include the following:

  • Technical Assistance
  • Invitations to attend business workshops and conferences
  • Notification of the City’s current bid opportunities
  • Business name and designated goods and services listed in the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Internet Directory
  • Increased opportunities to subcontract with the City’s Prime Contractors
  • Opportunities to compete with other local qualified businesses to provide the City with needed goods and services.

The City will continually seek to provide services, program enhancements and procurement opportunities to help ensure the success of its qualified local minority and qualified local small businesses.

Top of Page


SET-ASIDE PROGRAM
The Set-Aside Program helps ensure City dollars continue to remain within and benefit the local economy. The program allows the City to designate procurement opportunities for competition only between qualified local minority and qualified local small businesses.

When at least three qualified local businesses can compete for procurement opportunities in the categories and within the estimated costs listed below, the City can set-aside the procurement opportunity for competition only between qualified local businesses.
 

Category Estimated Costs
Construction $ 200,000 or less
Professional Services $ 100,000 or less
Goods and Non-Professional Services $   25,000 – $ 200,000

When the City needs goods and non-professional services with an estimated cost between $3,000 and $24,999, the Business Enterprise Coordinator will try to identify qualified local minority and qualified local small businesses to participate in the bidding process. If at least three qualified local businesses can compete, the procurement opportunity will be set-aside for competition between only qualified local businesses.

Top of Page


WAIVER OF PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS
The City reserves the right to waive the requirement for payment bonds and performance bonds on City construction projects estimated to cost up to $200,000. When the City waives the requirement for a business to provide a payment bond and/or performance bond, ten percent (10%) of each approved request for payment by the qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprise shall be retained by the City until 50% completion of the construction project, after which the retained amount may be reduced to 5% of each approved request for payment until the construction project is completed.

The qualified local minority business and qualified local small business must provide written documentation showing in detail all amounts then due and unpaid relevant to the project. The qualified local business must also provide written documentation of all amounts due and unpaid by its subcontractors for services provided and material suppliers for materials, equipment or supplies delivered to the site of work during the period covered by the payment under consideration.

Prior to final payment, the qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprise shall submit to the City a sworn affidavit that all of its bills for labor, services, materials and subcontractors have been paid and that there are no suits pending in connection with work provided under the contract, and waivers from all material suppliers and subcontractors in accordance to and as defined by Section 713.01, Florida Statutes, attesting they have no claims against the qualified local business resulting from completion of work provided under the contract for the construction project.

Top of Page


$10,000 THRESHOLD POLICY
The $10,000 Threshold Policy allows City employees to waive the competitive bidding requirement for the first time order with a qualified local minority business or qualified local small business enterprise for any procurement opportunity costing $10,000 or less.

Top of Page


CONTRACTORS USE OF QUALIFIED LOCAL BUSINESSES
The City strongly encourages its Contractors to maximize the use of its qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises on each City project. To be responsive in the bid or proposal submittal, the bidder or proposer shall either maximize the use of qualified local minority business and/or qualified local small business enterprises on each City project or be able to verify, through documentation that good faith efforts were engaged to maximize the use of qualified local minority business and/or qualified local small business enterprises.

Documentation of good faith efforts shall be submitted in the sealed bid or proposal packet on the date and at the time due for the respective bid or proposal submittal.

Top of Page


ADMINISTRATIVE RECONSIDERATION
If the City determines that the apparent successful bidder or proposer has failed to meet the criteria of the Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program, the Bidder’s bid or Proposer’s proposal will be deemed non-responsive and recommended for rejection from the procurement process.

Before awarding the contract, the City will provide the bidder and proposer the opportunity for Administrative Reconsideration which affords the bidder and proposer the opportunity to demonstrate how its bid or proposal met the program criteria.

Top of Page


DESIGN-BUILD REQUIREMENTS
The City of Hollywood strongly encourages the use of its qualified local minority business and qualified local small businesses on each City design-build project. The bidder and proposer should seek to maximize the use of qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises as design build-team members on the design phase and as subcontractors and material suppliers on the construction phase of the project.

Top of Page


CONTRACTOR COMMITMENT
The City of Hollywood awards contracts with subsequent projects that are not currently assigned to the Contractor. In such instances, the contractor shall commit to maximizing the use of qualified local minority business and/or qualified local small business enterprises on each supplement project or assignment engaged during the life of the agreement or contract for the service.

Top of Page


RFP BONUS POINTS
The City of Hollywood strongly encourages the use of qualified local minority businesses and qualified local small businesses on all City projects. Contractors can increase their opportunity to be awarded a City contract by earning additional bonus points when the use of qualified local minority businesses and qualified local small business enterprises are maximized in Request for Proposal solicitations.

The “Total Qualified Local Business Participation” shall be the percentage of the total contract/dollar amount that will be completed by qualified local minority business and/or qualified local small business enterprises. The “Total Qualified Local Business Participation” percentage is non-cumulative; however, one or more qualified local businesses can comprise the “Total Qualified Local Business Participation” percentage. The “Percentage of Total Bonus Points Awarded of Maximum Allowable Points” is non-cumulative and is the percentage of points to be awarded to the Bidder or Proposer based on the “Total Qualified Local Business Participation.” The bonus points will be allocated as follows.
 

Total Qualified Local Business Participation Percentage of Total Bonus Points Awarded of Maximum Allowable Points
15% 2%
16%-25% 4%
26%-35% 6%
36%-45% 8%
46% and above 10%

Top of Page


PROGRAM QUALIFICATION
The City will qualify both minority and small businesses located within the corporate limits of the City of Hollywood, Florida which make application and provide sufficient documentation to verify eligibility to participate in the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program in accordance with the program criteria.

  1. All applicants must submit the following documentation as appropriate:
     
    1. A completed Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program application.
       
    2. Commodity code sheet indicating goods and/or services your business is capable of providing to the City of Hollywood.
       
    3. A completed W-9 Form
       
    4. Current certificates of insurance.
       
    5. Copies of all licenses to do business in Florida and the City of Hollywood.
       
    6. Copies of prior three (3) years federal income tax returns, including all schedules and last three years’ financial statements prepared by an independent CPA or Accountant, if applicable. If in business for less than three (3) years, a personal tax return shall be required.
       
    7. Documentation that business is domiciled within the corporate limits of Hollywood, FL (i.e. occupational license, utility bill, lease/rental agreement, property tax receipt).
       
    8. Additional information will be requested as deemed necessary. Failure to provide the additional information shall deem the application incomplete. Upon the application being deemed incomplete, the business owner or designee has 30 days to remit the requested information. If the information is not received within 30 days of the initial request, the application will not be considered for approval.
       
  2. Incomplete applications will not be approved for program participation. Within thirty (30) days following the initial receipt of the application, the Business Enterprise Coordinator will request the applicant to furnish omitted items or additional information. If the requested information or items are not received by the Business Enterprise Coordinator within thirty (30) days from the date of request, the application is considered abandoned and will receive no further review.
     
  3. The business must have operated as a minority business enterprise or small business enterprise within the corporate City limits of Hollywood, FL at least six (6) months prior to making application to participate in the program.
     
  4. All eligible applicants for the Local MBE/SBE Program shall be required to attend Program Orientation. The purpose of the orientation is to provide an overview of the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program and to educate applicants about the City’s policies and procedures for doing business with the City.
     
  5. Once the eligible business completes Program Orientation, the business will be qualified to participate in the Local MBE/SBE Program and will receive a qualification letter and/or certificate specifying the business status and the three year qualification period.
     
  6. All businesses qualified to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program will remain qualified to participate in the Program for three consecutive years from the date of qualification. This three year qualification period allows the minority and small businesses to grow and/or expand through programs, training and procurement opportunities. The three year qualification period also reduces the business’ administrative burden.
     
  7. If during the qualification period, a qualified local minority business or qualified local small business enterprise experiences a change in ownership, employment, control or location, it shall be the responsibility of the qualified local minority business enterprise or qualified local small business enterprise owner to report said changes to the Business Enterprise Coordinator within 30 days of such change. Failure to report said changes may result in revocation of qualification or denial of re-qualification for a period not to exceed one (1) year.
     
  8. If a local business that is denied qualification or re-qualification due to the business’ failure to meet the program qualification or Re-qualification Affidavit requirements, the business may reapply to the Business Enterprise Coordinator one (1) year after receipt of the notice of denial or revocation.
     
  9. Any individual or entity that engages in fraud, misrepresentation, or other wrongful conduct, whether by act or omission related to its participation in or eligibility to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program or in the performance of its obligation as a qualified local minority business enterprise or qualified local small business enterprise under a City contract, shall be in violation of the Program. This determination shall be solely at the decision of the City.
     
  10. Violators of the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program may be subject to, on an individual and/or entity basis, termination from the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program and the debarment or suspension from participating in the City’s contracts in accordance with the City of Hollywood’s Debarment and Suspension Policy.
     
  11. Payment of all appropriate license taxes and other appropriate fees as required by the City of Hollywood to operate as a legitimate business enterprise is required prior to qualifying a business to participate in the Local MBE/SBE Program. If a business owner has any questions regarding the fees and/or taxes required to be paid, contact the Business Enterprise Coordinator at (954) 921-3010 for assistance.
     
  12. When a business can provide additional goods and services to the City and would like the goods and/or services added to its file, the business owner must provide a letter on the business’ letterhead listing the additional categories and/or specialties to be added. The business must also provide sufficient documentation to verify that it has the capacity, knowledge, skills and abilities to provide the additional goods, services and/or specialties.

Top of Page


RE-QUALIFICATION

  1. Various business resource providers (Small Business Development Centers, Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE), Chambers of Commerce, City and County Minority and Small Business Programs, etc.) administer no cost or moderate cost educational programs designed to enhance the ability of small and/or minority business enterprises to successfully operate which may reduce business failures. To be re-qualified as a qualified local minority business enterprise or qualified local small business enterprise for any subsequent three year period, at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the business’ qualification period, the qualified local minority business enterprise and qualified local small business enterprise owner shall submit documentation to verify that a principal or management designee completed at least two business training courses each year for a total of at least six business courses during the three year period.
     
  2. At least 60 days prior to the expiration of the business’ qualification, the business owner shall also submit a completed Re-Qualification Affidavit to the Business Enterprise Coordinator for evaluation.
     
  3. The Business Enterprise Coordinator will evaluate the information provided in the Re-qualification Affidavit and the education program documentation to determine whether a business remains eligible to participate in the Local MBE/SBE Program. If the business continues to meet the criteria to remain in the program, the business will be duly notified and issued another qualification certificate for an additional three year period.
     
  4. If the business owner does not submit the required Re-qualification Affidavit as required above, the business will be terminated and will be no longer be eligible to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program until such documentation is submitted and evaluated to determine if the business continues to meet the program eligibility criteria for this part. The business will be duly notified; and
     
  5. If a qualified local business enterprise is denied re-qualification due to the business’ failure to meet the education program requirements, the business will be terminated and will no longer be eligible to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program. The business may reapply to participate in the program by submitting required documentation to verify completion of the education program requirement to the Business Enterprise Coordinator. The business will be duly notified.
     
  6. The qualified local minority business or qualified local small business enterprise will be reconsidered for re-qualification upon completion and submission of the required documentation. After evaluation of the completed Re-qualification Affidavit and education program information, the business will be duly notified if the business continues to meet the program eligibility criteria. If the business does not meet the program eligibility criteria, the business’ participation in the program will be terminated and the business will be duly notified.

The aforementioned process shall continue until the qualified local minority business or qualified local small business either graduates from the program, submits or neglects to submit the Re-qualification Affidavit and education program documentation within the established timeframe. In any year that a business seeks to continue participation in the program and submits a Re-qualification Affidavit that no longer meets the criteria for program participation or if the business does not submit the completed Re-qualification Affidavit and education program documentation in the established timeframe, its participation in the program will be terminated. Upon such termination, the business will be duly notified.

Top of Page


CONTACT INFORMATION
Program applications and any additional information should be mailed to:

City of Hollywood
Department of Business and Economic Development
c/o Local MBE/SBE Program

P.O. Box 229045
Hollywood, FL 33022-9045

Phone: (954) 921-3388
Fax: (954) 921-3497

Top of Page


MINORITY BUSINESS AND SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION
All businesses must be qualified in accordance with the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program criteria to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program. The City will also recognize and accept MBE/SBE certifications issued to qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises by governmental entities of the State of Florida who have certified minority and/or small business enterprises in accordance with an established program. In addition, the City will accept certifications of qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises that have been received from the United States Government and any other governmental body in the United States which has an established certification program. The certifications of businesses that participate in the program will be considered based on Federal, State or other governmental body requirements. Qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises that have been duly certified by a federal, state or other governmental body should submit a copy of such certification with the program application.

Top of Page


PROGRAM GRADUATION
At such time as a business exceeds the established small business net worth size standard and the established criteria for program participation, the business’ qualification shall cease and the business shall no longer be eligible to participate in the Program. The business will be duly notified of its termination from the Local MBE/SBE Program.

Top of Page


PROGRAM ENFORCEMENT

  1. Any individual or entity that engages in fraud, misrepresentation, or other wrongful conduct, whether by act or omission, related to its participation in or eligibility to participate in the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program or in the performance of its qualified local minority business enterprise and/or qualified local small business enterprise obligation under a City contract, shall be in violation of the Program. This determination shall be solely at the decision of the City.
     
  2. Violators of the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program may be subject to, on an individual and/or entity basis, the debarment or suspension from participating in the City’s contracts in accordance with the City of Hollywood’s Debarment and Suspension Policy. Upon request, Contractors shall furnish all information and reports required by the Procurement Services Director or designee and/or Business Enterprise Coordinator and shall permit access to the books, records, and accounts of the Contractor during normal business hours by the Procurement Services Director or designee and/or Business Enterprise Coordinator for the purpose of investigation as to ascertain compliance with the City’s Local Minority and Local Small Business Program.
     
  3. The Business Enterprise Coordinator may tour job site and make recommendations for corrective actions, if necessary, as a result of the visit.
     
  4. The Business Enterprise Coordinator may interview employees of contractor and subcontractors for compliance with bid requirements and Local MBE/SBE Program policies and procedures.
     
  5. The Business Enterprise Coordinator may hold an exit conference at the end of a project with the contractor’s MBE/SBE Liaison Officer or contractor’s designee. Recommendations for corrective action to be taken will be made as needed.

Top of Page


SITE VISITS DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE

  1. If it is determined that the Contractor is in non-compliance, the Business Enterprise Coordinator will notify the Contractor within ten (10) days of the site visit and identify the deficiencies found and the required corrective action that should be taken to remedy the deficiencies within a specific time period.
     
  2. Before the Contractor can be found to be in compliance, he/she must make a specific commitment, in writing, to correct the deficiencies. The specific commitment must include the precise action to be taken and the date for completion.
     
  3. Upon receipt of the written commitment from the Contractor, the Business Enterprise Coordinator will notify the Contractor in writing with ten (10) days of acceptability of the Contractor’s written commitment. The Contractor shall be notified that making such commitments do not preclude future determinations of non-compliance based on a finding that the commitments were not faithfully performed.

Top of Page


PAYMENT

Prompt Payment - City of Hollywood
The City shall make every effort to pay all payments accruing to a qualified local minority business enterprise and a qualified local small business enterprise within thirty (30) days of receipt and approval of invoice from the business to the City except when there are documented reasons that payment should not be made.

Prompt Payment - Contractors

  1. Upon contract award, the City of Hollywood does not count the participation of the qualified local MBE/SBE Subcontractor or qualified local MBE/SBE Material Supplier toward the Prime Contractor’s qualified local MBE/SBE achievement or its overall goal until the amount being counted toward the achievement or goal has been paid to the qualified Local MBE/SBE. The Contractor shall submit to the City of Hollywood the “Subcontractor and Material Supplier Payment Certification” form provided by the City to validate payment to the qualified Local MBE/SBE and the amount of the qualified local MBE/SBE achievement/goal achieved to date. The form must be complete and notarized by all appropriate parties. Failure to truthfully certify payments to Subcontractors and Material Suppliers shall result in no further payments to the Contractor.
     
  2. Records of progress payments made by Prime Contractors to qualified local MBEs/SBEs Subcontractors and/or Material Suppliers are required at least on a monthly basis. However, information can be submitted more frequently than monthly.
     
  3. Payment may be withheld by the City due to failure by the Contractor to comply with the Specification, because unacceptable equipment or Materials were delivered as determined by the City’s inspection or failure by the Contractor to comply with this “Prompt Payment: Late Payments by Contractors to Subcontractors and Material Suppliers; Penalty” clause. The City shall notify the Contractor of any unsatisfactory performance or non-compliance with the “Late Payments by Contractors to Subcontractors and Material Suppliers” clause as soon as practical so that it can be corrected without delaying payment if possible.

Prompt Payment - Late Payments by Contractors to Subcontractors and Materials Suppliers: Penalty
When a Contractor receives from the City of Hollywood any payment for contractual services, commodities, materials, supplies or construction contracts, the Contractor shall pay such monies received to each Subcontractor and Material Supplier in proportion to the percentage of Work completed by each Subcontractor or materials supplied by each Material Supplier at the time of receipt. If the Contractor receives less than full payment, then the Contractor shall be required to disburse only the funds received on a pro rata basis with the Subcontractors and Material Suppliers each receiving a prorated portion based on the amount due on the payment.

NOTE: If the Contractor without reasonable cause fails to make payments required by this section to Subcontractors and Material Suppliers within 15 working days after the receipt by the Contractor of full or partial payment, the Contractor shall pay to the Subcontractors and Material Suppliers a penalty in the amount of 1 percent of the amount due, per month, from the expiration of the period allowed herein for payment. Such penalty shall be in addition to the actual payments owed.

Top of Page

Prompt Return of Retainer
Retainage is also subject to this prompt payment requirement and must be returned to the Subcontractor or Material Supplier whose Work has been completed, even if the Prime Contract has not been completed. The Prime Contractor shall include the above obligation in each subcontract it signs with a Subcontractor or Material Supplier.

Top of Page


DEFINITIONS
The following words defined in this section shall have the meaning set forth below whenever they appear in this chapter:

  1. Commercially Useful Function – shall exist when the Local MBE/SBE is responsible for execution of the work for the contract and is carrying out the responsibilities by actually performing, managing and supervising the work involved. The Local MBE/SBE must also be responsible, with respect to materials and supplies used on the contract, for negotiating price, determining quality and quantity, and ordering the material, and installing. A commercially useful function is not performed if the role of the qualified Local MBE/SBE is that of an extra participant in a transaction, contract, or project through which funds are passed in order to obtain the appearance of qualified local MBE or qualified local SBE participation.
     
  2. Contract – shall mean a legal agreement prepared by the City duly executed between the City and a business, naming the terms and obligations of a business transaction.
     
  3. Contractor – shall mean a person or firm who is qualified and responsible for the entire project contracted.
     
  4. Subcontractor – shall mean a person or firm who performs any part or parts of the contracted work of the general contractor, including labor, or providing materials and/or supplies required for the performance of the contract.
     
  5. Control – shall mean having the primary power, direct or indirect to influence the management of a business enterprise. The controlling party must have the demonstrable ability to make independent and unilateral business decisions which may influence and chart the future course of the business.
     
  6. Local Business – shall mean a business which is duly licensed and authorized to engage in business at issue and which maintains a permanent place of operation with full time personnel within the corporate limits of the City of Hollywood, FL. A Post Office (P.O.) Box shall not be sufficient to constitute a “local business.” The business has the burden of demonstrating that it meets this definition.
     
  7. Minority Business Enterprise – shall mean a currently functioning business enterprise which (a) is an independent for-profit business concern that is at least 51% owned by minority group member(s); (b) independently operated and controlled by the minority group member(s); (c) demonstrates the capability (i.e. expertise, employees, equipment, facilities, supplies, etc.) to perform a line of business; (d) provides a commercially useful business function; and (e) is qualified to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program.
     
  8. Minority – A person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is a Woman, Black American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian-Pacific American, Subcontinent Asian American or other minorities found to be disadvantaged by the SBA.
     
  9. Small Business Enterprise – shall mean a shall mean a currently functioning business enterprise which (a) is an independent for-profit business concern that is at least 51% owned by a non-minority group member(s); (b) independently operated and controlled by the non-minority group member(s); (c) demonstrates the capability (i.e. expertise, employees, equipment, facilities, supplies, etc.) to perform a line of business; (d) provides a commercially useful business function; and (e) is qualified to participate in the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program.

    NOTE: In the event 50% of the local business is owned by a minority and 50% of the local business is owned by a non-minority, the designation selected on the Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program Application will be accepted.
     
  10. Small Business Net Worth Size Standard – The size standard for a minority business enterprise and a small business enterprise that participates in the City of Hollywood’s Local MBE/SBE Program shall mean an independently owned and operated business concern that employs 50 or fewer permanent full-time employees and whose annual net worth does not exceed $2,000,000. To determine the net worth, the City shall consider the most recent annual financial statement for the business or; in the case of sole proprietorships, annual financial statements for the business and the business owner. The applicant must provide documentation to demonstrate that the business employs 50 or fewer permanent full-time employees averaged over a two year period.
     
  11. Race-Neutral Measure or Program – One that is, or can be, used to assist all small businesses. Giving no consideration to an individual’s ethnic group and/or nationality in the procurement of goods and/or services. Race neutrality.
     
  12. Gender Neutral – Giving no consideration to an individual’s gender in the procurement of goods and/or services. Gender neutrality.
     
  13. Good Faith Efforts – Efforts to maximize qualified local business participation or other requirement of this part which, by their scope, intensity, and appropriateness to the objective, can reasonably be expected to fulfill the program requirement.
     
  14. Net Worth – The net value of the assets of the business remaining after total liabilities are deducted. To determine net worth, the City shall consider the most recent annual financial statement for the business or; in the case of sole proprietorships, annual financial statements for the business and the business owner. The applicant must provide documentation to demonstrate that the business employs 50 or fewer permanent full time employees averaged over a two year period.
     
  15. Noncompliance – Means that an individual (employee, contractor, bidder or proposer) has not correctly implemented the requirements of this part.
     
  16. Set-Aside – A contracting practice restricting eligibility for the competitive award of a contract or other competitive procurement opportunity solely to qualified local business enterprises.
     
  17. Direct Report – Department or Office Director that reports directly to the City Manager.

Top of Page


RACE-NEUTRAL MEANS

Race-Neutral Means include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Arranging solicitations, times for presentation of bids, quantities, specifications, and delivery schedules in ways that facilitate qualification local minority business enterprise and local small business enterprise participation (e.g., unbundling large contracts to make them more accessible to qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises, requiring or encouraging prime contractors to subcontract portions of work that they might otherwise perform with their own forces).
     
  2. Providing assistance in overcoming limitations such as inability to obtain bonding or financing (e.g., by such means as simplifying the bonding process, reducing bonding requirements, eliminating the impact of surety costs from bids, and providing services to help qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises obtain bonding and financing).
     
  3. Providing technical assistance and other services.
     
  4. Carrying out information and communication programs on contracting procedures and specific contract opportunities (e.g., ensuring the inclusion of qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises on the City’s, contractor’s, bidder’s or proposer’s mailing lists; ensuring the dissemination to bidders on prime contracts lists of potential subcontractors; provision of information in languages other than English, where appropriate);
     
  5. Implementing a supportive services program to develop and improve immediate and long-term business management, record keeping, and financial and accounting capability for qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises;
     
  6. Providing services to help qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises improve long-term development, increasing opportunities to participate in a variety of kinds of work, handling increasingly significant projects, and achieving eventual self-sufficiency.
     
  7. Establishing programs to assist new, start-up firms, particularly in the fields in which minority participation has been historically low.
     
  8. Ensuring distribution of the Local MBE/SBE Directory through electronic means, to the widest feasible universe of potential prime contractors.
     
  9. Assisting qualified local minority business and qualified local small business enterprises to develop their capability to use emerging technology and conduct business through electronic media.

Top of Page


INVESTIGATIONS
City employees, Contractors, Sub-recipients, Subcontractors or Material Suppliers shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex in awarding or performance of any City contract or procurement opportunity. Failure by any City employee to carry out these requirements may result in administrative discipline. Failure of any Contractors, Sub-recipients, Subcontractors or Material Suppliers to carry out these requirements is a material breach of contract which may result in termination of the contract or such other remedy as deemed appropriate by the City of Hollywood.

In administering the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program, City employees, Contractors, Sub-recipients, Subcontractors or Material Suppliers must not directly or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishments of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, sex, or national origin.

  1. Any City staff found to willfully discriminates against any business owner or other person(s) will receive administrative discipline in accordance with the City’s applicable “Corrective (Disciplinary) Action” Policy HR-04-309 or as consistent with any applicable collective bargaining agreement. City employees shall also abide by the City’s Code of Ethics Policy #HR-04-032 and Section 112.313 Florida Statutes in administering the City’s Local MBE/SBE Program.
     
  2. When a business or designee files repeated unfounded complaints of business discrimination, the business or designee will be in violation of the City’s Local Minority Business Enterprise and Local Small Business Enterprise Program and the program’s “Enforcement of the Program” will be enforced.

Top of Page

 
 
MBE/SBE Program | Program Overview | Local Qualified Business Directory | Forms
Business Training and Resources | Management Internship | International Trade
Procurement Services

 

Home | Living | Business | Visiting | City Government | Careers | Events | City Directory | Contact Us | Privacy | About Our Site

Copyright © 1997-2011, City of Hollywood Florida
2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida 33020-4807
P. O. Box 229045, Hollywood, Florida 33022-9045