Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs)

It is the policy of Georgetown University to provide maximum opportunity to Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs) to participate in the performance of contracts funded fully or partially by funds from the federal government or from financial benefits derived from bond issues approved by the District of Columbia or funded by private funds. The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action (IDEAA) serves as a liaison between certified businesses and the appropriate purchasing officials in the University community. The IDEAA office also monitors the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Small and Local Business Development and submits quarterly reports on CBE activity to that office. The IDEAA office co-sponsors occasional CBE fairs with internal and external resources to promote upcoming opportunities.

Links:

Internal:

• The Planning & Facilities Management Department has responsibility for construction and renovation projects. The Contracts staff in the project planning phase assists in preparing bid documents and conducts bid openings to choose vendors. It also tracks grant contracts for special projects like the Fuel Cell Program and it works aggressively to support the CBE program by requiring prime contractors to do business with LSDBEs.
• The Purchasing & Contracts Department has responsibility for the procurement business practice manual, Strategic Business Agreements (relationships with vendors both CBEs and others who offer the best price, streamlined processing and automated pricing).

External:

• District of Columbia’s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) – The mission of DSLBD is to foster economic growth and the development of local, small, and disadvantaged business enterprises through supportive legislation, business development programs and agency and public/private contract compliance. DSLBD receives, analyzes, and processes Certified Business Enterprises (CBE) Certification applications on a continuous basis.
• U. S. Small Business Administration
• Maryland/District of Columbia Minority Supplier Development Council – The Minority Supplier Development Council Network established in 1972 to promote minority supplying and subcontracting among major corporations in the private sector. The Maryland/ DC Minority Supplier Development Council (MD/DC MSDC) serves minority businesspersons in Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia.