1. The minority and women business certification application must be completed, notarized, and accompanied by all relevant attachments, if the application is incomplete, or has any of the applicable documents missing it will not be processed.

2. Any applicant/firm which has been inactive will not be certified, unless they can provide proof of recent, active business status for at least one year. Only currently active firms able to do business in the State of Florida will be certified. Notwithstanding any item herein, there is no guarantee that applicants will be certified.

3. An applicant who acts as an agent or a passive conduit in connection with provisions of services or materials is ineligible to apply to participate as a certified M/WBE under the conditions of Ordinances #10062, #10538 & #10332. All applicants must assume financial risk and control over goods and services; provide for and maintain a storage facility consistent with normal industry practice and/or manufacture goods from raw materials or substantially alter goods before offering to sell to the City of Miami under this program.

4. If there has been a transfer of ownership and/or shares of stock from male to female, non-minority to minority, or within the family unit, in order to create eligibility, the applicant is not eligible to apply for certification until one (l) year from the date of transfer, except in cases where the male/minority principal dies, becomes disabled, or otherwise unable to perform the duties of his/her position.

5. During the review process, the City may request additional information. Any applicant who fails to supply all requested additional information within thirty (30) business days from the date of request, will be denied certification and will be required to file a new application.

6. Any applicant whose initial application for certification is denied will be prohibited from resubmitting a certification application until ninety (90) days after the receipt of notice of denial and the conclusion of appeal hearings, if any.

7. Any business whose certification is subsequently revoked will be prohibited from submitting a new certification application until ninety (90) days after the receipt of notice of revocation and the conclusion of appeal hearings, if any.

8. Applicants must meet all of the following general criteria in order to become certified:

a. Applicants must be minorities or females with substantial investments in the company.

b. To be certified as a minority or woman-owned firm, at least 51 percent (51%) of the business/association must actually and legally be owned by Hispanic, Black, and/or women (of any ethnicity). In addition, the active management and daily operations of the firm/association must be controlled by one or more of those individuals. A firm which is fifty-one percent owned by minorities and/or women, but which is actively managed and operated by non-minorities, does not qualify to be certified by the City of Miami.

M/WBE owners of construction businesses must themselves hold the appropriate trade license or certificate of competency in their field, pursuant to Chapter 489, Florida Statutes or Chapter 10, Code of Metropolitan Dade County, in order to be eligible to be certified by the City of Miami. These owners must also comply with the requirements of City of Miami Ordinance No. 10332.

c. Joint ventures between certified M/WBE's &/or associations and non-M/WBE's/associations are permitted if 51 ownership is minority or women; however, the dollar value of a City of Miami bid/contract award, credited toward the City's minority/women purchasing goal, will be computed based upon the minority/women firms/associations percentage ownership and control in the joint venture.

d. M/WBE applicants must possess and demonstrate dominant control over the business as required in the application.

e. M/WBE applicants must be substantial investors in the company.

f. The business must be an on-going concern, providing the product/service under which it is requesting certification.

g. Firms desirous of competing under the set-aside provisions of the Ordinance must have been registered and certified by the City of Miami thirty (30) days prior to bidding, unless otherwise established.


Vendors wishing to certify as a Minority/Women Business Enterprise should contact:

City of Miami
Purchasing Department
Minority/Women Business Enterprise Office
Miami Riverside Center
444 SW 2nd Avenue, 6th Floor
Miami, Florida, 33130-0708
Telephone: (305) 416-1913 FAX: (305) 416-1925
Contact: Joy Major