Small Business Enterprise Program Launched

12/7/2016

The Mayor's Office for Human Rights has launched the new Small Business Enterprise Program to provide opportunities for small businesses in the Tulsa area to do business with the City of Tulsa. Mayor Dewey Bartlett made the announcement with Rev. Dr. Stacey Cole, immediate past chairman of the Human Rights Commission, at a news conference earlier today.

"Small businesses are essential for the growth of Tulsa's economy," Mayor Bartlett said. "The City of Tulsa has created the Small Business Enterprise Program to help strengthen small businesses and provide opportunities to use their goods and services in city government."

The City of Tulsa has set a goal to utilize small businesses for 6 percent to 10 percent of goods and services. This would include purchases or contracts with small businesses directly or with small businesses serving as subcontractors for larger companies. The Small Business Enterprise Program has been created to help the City accomplish this goal and to help small businesses succeed in the Tulsa area.

Small businesses that join the Small Business Enterprise Program will be on a preferred list for consideration to do business with the City of Tulsa. Members also may participate in educational, partnering and networking opportunities designed for development of managerial skills and communication skills to assist with business growth.

Membership in the Small Business Enterprise Program is free and open to small businesses meeting qualifying standards of the program without regard to whether the business owner or principals are part of any protected class under Title 5 of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances.

Qualifying standards include the following:

- Be operational for at least one year prior to application.

- Have 25 or fewer employees & annual sales volume (averaged over the previous three years) of less than $3 million or construction of less than $5 million.

- Be a for-profit business, independently owned with a physical address in the Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area. Tulsa area office must have one or more employees conducting core business activities.

- Have capacity to perform work independently or as a subcontractor relative to its field of operation, and where required, has a license or certificate issued in his or her name.

- Be owned by U.S. citizens or by lawful, permanent residents of the United States.

To apply for membership, a business owner needs to fill out the application, which is available to download from the City website: www.cityoftulsa.org/humanrights, by request from the Mayor's Office for Human Rights - (918) 596-7818, or in person at the City Clerk, 2^nd floor of City Hall, 175 E. 2^nd St.

The Mayor's Office for Human Rights is responsible for administration and maintenance of the Small Business Enterprise Program. The department coordinates processing of membership applications, compilation of an online membership database, as well as educational and networking opportunities for members.