§ 323-33. SBE, SLBE and ELBE Assistance to Provide an Equitable Opportunity to Compete for Contracts and Subcontracts.

Specific affirmative procedures to be utilized by the department staff and procurement staff to encourage maximum practicable opportunities for SBE, SLBE and ELBE participation include the following:

(a)

Review individual solicitations to ensure that insurance and bonding provisions are not excessive; assist SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs in obtaining insurance and surety bonds where necessary in the performance of contracts, including, but not limited to doing the following: package contracts so that dollar amounts do not require bonding; encourage prime contractors to waive bonding or assist SBE, SLBE and ELBE subcontractors in obtaining bonding; and encourage staged bonding where feasible, when bonding is carried over from one project stage to the next;

(b)

Encourage the formation of joint ventures among SBEs and SLBEs and between SBEs, SLBEs and firms which provide opportunity for the SBE or SLBE to gain experience. The department staff will assist prime contractors in identifying interested SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs for subcontracts and joint ventures; provide information on the city of Cincinnati's organization and contractual needs; and offer instructions on bid specifications, procurement policy, procedures, and general bidding requirements;

(c)

Provide, in conjunction with the city purchasing division, specifications and requests for proposals to the SBE, SLBE and ELBE community in a timely manner to allow them adequate time to develop responsible and responsive bids, quotations, and proposals. In instances where the cost of obtaining specifications or requests for proposal is prohibitive, copies of the material will be made available at no charge to SBE, SLBE and ELBE development agencies;

(d)

Establish, in conjunction with the city finance department and affected city departments, prorated payment and delivery schedules where feasible, to minimize cash flow problems faced by small businesses. The department will provide guidance to SBE, SLBE and ELBE contractors regarding maintenance of a positive cash flow so current obligations can be met;

(e)

Wherever feasible, use the least complicated bid forms appropriate for each procurement solicitation;

(f)

Hold pre-bid/proposal conferences to explain SBE, SLBE and/or ELBE commitments and to answer questions about forms that must be submitted with a bid or proposal;

(g)

Permit bidders/offerors to review and evaluate successful bid/proposal documents of prior similar procurement(s) and, upon request, use debriefing sessions to explain why certain bids were unsuccessful;

(h)

Provide projected procurement information and contracting schedules through the City Bulletin and other outreach efforts;

(i)

Conduct internal information workshops to inform and acquaint the city of Cincinnati staff with the goals and objectives of the city of Cincinnati's SBE, SLBE and ELBE plans, and to sensitize them to the problems faced by SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs;

(j)

Maintain records showing specific efforts to identify and award contracts to SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs and establish a monitoring system to ensure that all contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and vendors comply with contract specifications related to SBE, SLBE and ELBE utilization;

(k)

Inform SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs of bid notices and specifications related to their capability by placing bid notices in the City Bulletin, major local newspapers, and other periodicals. Bid notices will also be sent to local trade associations, technical assistance agencies, economic development groups, and SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs with capabilities relevant to the bid notice as identified by the city of Cincinnati's SBE, SLBE and ELBE data banks. Bid specifications will be made available to SBE, SLBE and ELBE contractor associations and technical assistance agencies. Lists of potential firms bidding as primes also will be available to SBEs, SLBEs and ELBEs;

(l)

Provide coordination and referral to existing business development organizations;

(m)

Provide workshops and training sessions on identified SBE, SLBE and ELBE problem areas, i.e., pricing and estimating, joint venture formation, accounting principles, marketing, etc.; and

(n)

Disseminate information on the city of Cincinnati's SBE, SLBE and ELBE programs through written materials, seminars, workshops, and specialized assistance to individual firms.

(Ordained by Ord. No. 307-2015, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2016)