Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program

To provide economic opportunities for residents and businesses, and to stimulate economic development in the San Francisco Bay Area Region, MTC and partners have established a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) program.

Credit
George Draper

These are for SBE firms who want to participate in MTC non-federally funded, non-architectural and engineering (A&E) materials, equipment, supplies, services and construction contracts.

SBE Program Objectives

The Small Business Enterprise (SBE) program assists SBE firms with participating in MTC non-federally funded, non-architectural and engineering (A&E) materials, equipment, supplies, services and construction contracts. This program is aimed at using the power of the public purse to stimulate economic development.

The objectives of the SBE program are to:

  • Increase the number of certified SBEs participating in non-federally funded, non-A&E contracts
  • Increase overall competition on non-federally funded, non-A&E contracts, potentially allowing for the completion of projects at a lower overall cost
  • Create a level playing field on which SBEs can compete fairly on non-federally funded contracts
  • Ensure that only SBE firms (prime Consultant/Contractor or Subconsultant/Subcontractor/Vendor) meeting the program’s eligibility requirements are eligible for the Evaluation Preference allowed under the program
  • Help remove barriers to the participation of SBEs in non-federally funded contracts
  • Identify business enterprises that are qualified as SBE’s and are qualified to provide MTC with required materials, equipment, supplies and services

Certification Standards & SBE Directories

MTC does not administer an SBE certification program.

To be eligible for the Bid/Evaluation Preference allowed under the SBE program, firms (prime Contractor or Subconsultant/Subcontractor/Vendor) must be certified under any of the programs outlined below:

  • California Certified Small Business as certified by the California Department of General Services (DGS) -Procurement Division (PD) - Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS).
  • A Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) as certified by the California Unified Certification Program (CUCP).
  • City and County of San Francisco Local Business Enterprise (LBE) as certified by the Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) Directory Certification Unit.
  • Alameda County Small Local and Emerging Business (SLEB) program as certified by the Alameda County SLEB Certification Unit.
  • DVBE/LBE/LGBTBE/MBE/SBE/WBE certification from a formal certifying agency in the nine-county Bay Area, provided that the certification can be verified through a searchable database and meets the requirements of the State of California Small Business Program 1. (Disadvantaged Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE), Local Business Enterprise (LBE), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise (LGBTBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE)

SBE Eligibility for Certification

According to Title 2, California Code of Regulations, § 1896.12. Eligibility for Certification as a Small Business, to be eligible for certification as a small business, a business must meet all of the following qualifying criteria:

  • It is independently owned and operated
  • Its principal office is located in California
  • The officers of the business (in the case of a corporation); officers and/or managers, or in the absence of officers and/or managers, all members in the case of a limited liability company; partners in the case of a partnership; or the owner(s) in all other cases, are domiciled in California
  • It is not dominant in its field of operation(s)
  • It is either:
    • A business that, together with all affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees, and annual gross receipts of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) or less as averaged for the previous three (3) tax years, as biennially adjusted by the Department in accordance with Government Code § 14837(d)(3) (If the business or its affiliate(s) has been in existence for less than three (3) tax years, then the GAR will be based upon the number of years in existence)
    • A manufacturer as defined herein that, together with all affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees.

Staff Contacts

SBE Liaison Officer

Denise Rodrigues, Director, Administration & Facilities
Phone: (415) 778-5297
Email: drodrigues@bayareametro.gov

SBE Programs Contact

Michael Brinton, Assistant Director, Contract Compliance Manager
Phone: (415) 778-6727
Email: mbrinton@bayareametro.gov