Denver mayor expands M/WBE program

CO News - Published Feb 21, 2014

On Wednesday, Denver's mayor signed into law two ordinances and an executive order aimed at increasing minority and women-owned business (M/WBE) participation on city contracts.

"The legislation I am signing today is landmark for the City and County of Denver, because of the landmark opportunity we as a city are determined to provide to our women- and minority-owned businesses," said the mayor at the signing ceremony.

The measures will require that city agencies track contractors efforts to include M/WBEs on projects and deliver reports about those efforts to the mayor's office twice a year. Denver will also increase its annual M/WBE contracting goals for construction services to 24 percent and 33 percent for professional services, as well as establish new goals of 8 percent for select services and 5 percent for select goods.

Additionally, any procurement of $1 million or more will have M/WBE inclusions goals, which companies bidding on the contracts must try to achieve.

The ordinances and executive order, designed following review of a disparity study completed in 2013, will go into effect on April 1st.