County Business Enterprise Act of 2009 .pdf 47 kb

Certification Application .pdf 271kb

Letter of Intent .pdf 21kb

Schedule of Participation .pdf 25kb

Monthly Utilization Report .pdf 19kb

Unavailability Report .pdf 19kb

County Business Enterprise
(CBE)

Program Overview

The County Business Enterprise (CBE) program is the latest enhancement by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners to assist Broward County’s local small business community in achieving greater opportunity in County procurement.

The intent is to increase the participation by small businesses in County projects as both prime contractors and subcontractors. The County Business Enterprise (CBE) Act of 2009 establishes a cumulative goal of 25% participation by CBE certified firms in all County procurement contracts – excluding contracts under the Federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and the Broward County Small Business Enterprise, or Sheltered Market, program.

The new CBE program certification replaces the 2007 Community Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (CDBE) program certification. One of the major differences in the two programs is that the business categories (Construction, Architecture & Engineering, Professional Services, Business Services, and Commodities) established under the previous program have been dissolved in the new program. All firms seeking CBE certification must meet the same maximum gross receipts (averaged over three years), regardless of their industry.

CBE program eligibility requirements:

The firm must be independent;

• The firm must have a continuing operating presence in Broward County;
• Each owner must not have a personal net worth exceeding $750,000; and
• The firm must not have an excess of $5 million in average annual gross revenue calculated over the previous three (3) calendar years.

CBE program note:

In an effort to ease the transition into the new program, firms currently certified by the Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development under the CDBE program will automatically be certified under the new CBE program until the expiration date of their original CDBE certification. At that time, these firms will need to apply for the CBE certification and will be issued a CBE certificate upon approval.

Related program information:

• The County's M/WBE Program has been suspended in response to the need to complete a new Disparity Study, to ensure that the County's minority and women-owned business program was operating at an optimal level to ensure fairness to all Broward County businesses.
• Upon completion of the Disparity Study, which is anticipated to take approximately 1 to 1 ½ years the County Commission will respond to the consultant's recommendations for any identified disparity, to ensure a level playing field for all firms, regardless of race or gender background.