Small and underutilized businesses

The City supports businesses owned by minorities and women. We include goals in some of our contracts to require our contractors to include them.

Overview

Small businesses owned by women or minorities are offered fewer opportunities than other businesses.

Our Small and Underutilized Business Program (SUBP) exists to provide more equal opportunities to businesses recognized as:

  • Minority-owned business enterprises (MBE)
  • Women-owned business enterprises (WBE)

City contracts over $175,000

If you bid on a contract over $175,000 it may include SUBP goals.

The goals are based on:

  • Project scope
  • Subcontracting opportunities
  • Availability of qualified businesses owned by minorities or women
People looking at construction plans on a building site.

Details

How it works

There are many parts to SUBP compliance.

Reporting

You must provide proof of compliance both before and after we award you a contract.

Contracts

Contracts with SUBP goals will only be awarded to bidders who:

Goal compliance

You must be or work with a business that:

  • Is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified prior to bid opening.
  • Performs the type of work required
  • Directly handles, manages and oversees the work
  • Has its' employees complete at least 30% of the work 
  • Has its' main location in a county on the list below:
Minnesota counties

Anoka

Hennepin Ramsey Washington
Carver Isanti Scott Wright
Chisago Le Sueur Sherburne  
Dakota Mille Lacs Sibley  
Wisconsin counties
Pierce St. Croix

Additional goals

The state has set workforce goals for state construction projects. We follow the state goals for our City construction contracts.

Get workforce goals detail

Good faith effort to comply

If you tried and were unable to meet the SUBP goals on a contract:

We will review what you submit.

  • We may decide to award you the contract.
  • If we choose not to award you the contract, you can ask for reconsideration.

See Municode Title 16, Chapter 423 - Good faith efforts and reconsideration

See Reconsideration of good faith effort review denials (link to admin rules page)

 

Substitutions

Substitutions

You must get written approval from the City before you can:

  • Substitute an SUBP firm
  • Reduce the participation of an SUBP firm
  • Remove an SUBP firm from the project

See SUBP Substitution Request Process and Form

SUBP eligible businesses

Perform the type of work required by a business that is DBE-certified to do the work.

Contact us

Johnnie Burns

Associate Director

Contract Compliance Division

Phone

612-673-3012

Address

City Hall
350 Fifth St. S.
Room 239
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Office hours
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Monday – Friday