Minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to attend a public meeting to learn about the recently adopted Business Enterprise Program (M/WBE).
Augusta commissioners approved an amendment to the city code to add the program. The meeting will include details on how to apply for certification to be part of the program.
“It’s really an opportunity for us to let the community know what’s going on with this program, but more specifically, to let them know that the program now exists and has been approved and what the next steps would be if any of them were interested in becoming a part of the program, Dr. Yolanda Jackson, the city’s DBE Compliance Manager, explained for ABD. “
Jackson said M/WBE was recommended in a disparity study completed in 2022 that indicated an inequality for minority and women-owned businesses pursuing city contracts. The study included the five counties in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Those are Richmond, Columbia, and Burke counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina.
“The study also reached up to the Atlanta area, because we do have businesses that come from Atlanta that do business here. So, it included the Atlanta MSA. It’s about 10 or 12 counties within the Atlanta area as well,” said Jackson.
Commissioners were briefed on the program during the July 17 meeting. District 10 Commissioner, Wayne Guilfoyle asked if this would exclude local small businesses that are not minority or women-owned, potentially opening the city to a lawsuit.
City Attorney, Wayne Brown explained local and small businesses would still be protected by the city’s Local Small Business Program (LSBP).
“You cannot just have a race or gender-sensitive program. You must have preference programs that also have other basis, such as being local, such as being small. That’s why compliance has included and offering the local small business preference program with it. That way, no business is excluded,” Brown said. “The trouble Augusta had last time is that they let the data become stale or old. Disparities have to be shown within a recent period of time, usually about five years that, given the situation in the market, that women, sometimes small businesses, and minorities will never, ever get a fair shake or opportunity to participate in government procurement.”
The amendment was approved unanimously.
Jackson said the program will cover any project the city puts out for a bid that is over $300,000. The project will go to a goal-setting committee, comprised of someone from the Compliance Department, the department requesting bids, and the Administrative Office.
“This committee would take a look at what work is available for subcontractors on the project. And then together, we will determine an MBE goal and also a WBE goal,” she said.
The public meeting is Wed., Sept. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Linda Beazley Room at the Municipal Building on Telfair Street.
Anyone interested, but unable to attend, can review the information at www.augustaga.gov/83/Disadvantaged-Business-Enterprise.
