Akron is rolling out a new Small Business Enterprise (SBE) program designed to give locally owned firms a clearer path to city contracts. The approach, announced by Mayor Shammas Malik and explained by Esther Thomas, director of the Office of Opportunity and Engagement, replaces the former Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise programs with a race‑ and gender‑neutral framework that focuses on business size and capability.
How the program works
Under the pilot, the city will consider small‑business participation at the earliest stages of project design, before bids are opened. This could mean breaking larger projects into smaller contracts or attaching participation requirements to larger jobs. The city is already applying the model to real contracts, including a $222,000 award to Armstrong Painting for painting 2,215 fire hydrants, two $50,000 sidewalk repair jobs awarded to VCS Construction Services and Bishop Brothers Supply, and a $72,000 lighting upgrade at the Cascade Parking Deck awarded to Berwin Electric.
Mayor Malik emphasized that the city is not starting with a theoretical program but with “real projects and real dollars.” The initial set of contracts represents a minimum of approximately $1.19 million in SBE spending.
Eligibility and certification
To qualify, businesses must be for‑profit, independently owned and operated, and meet the U.S. Small Business Administration’s size standards for their industry. Race and gender are not factors in eligibility; firms must simply be capable of performing the work they bid on. Qualified firms can become certified SBEs and pursue contracts that either require SBE participation or are designated for SBEs.
Two upcoming lead‑service line replacement contracts, together valued at about $8 million, will require at least 10 percent certified SBE participation. A bid that fails to show how the contractor will meet that floor will be deemed unresponsive, meaning at least $800,000 of anticipated SBE work is on the table. “That’s a floor, not a ceiling,” Malik said, noting the potential for SBEs to take on larger shares or even serve as prime contractors.
Building relationships
One of the program’s biggest challenges has been connecting small firms with city departments that need their services. To address this, Akron will hold quarterly “SBE Spotlight” meetings, beginning Sept. 24, where businesses can introduce themselves to purchasing, engineering, construction and contracting staff. Compliance officer Brandon Laster stressed that these gatherings are about relationship‑building, not guaranteed awards.
City Council member Linda Omobien added that the goal is to enable small businesses to contract directly with the city, rather than merely serving as subcontractors to larger firms.
Tracking and accountability
Akron will use new software, called B2G, to track SBE participation, monitor certified firms and compare participation goals with actual payments. Mayor Malik said the pilot is intended to produce measurable results and, if successful, could become a permanent part of the city’s contracting system.
“We want to create something that has more teeth, that has more accountability,” Malik said.
Looking ahead
The city expects additional SBE opportunities in mowing, clearing and other service contracts. By establishing clear participation floors and a transparent tracking system, Akron hopes to strengthen its local economy, support family‑run businesses and uphold the principle that government contracts should serve the community’s hardworking entrepreneurs.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
