How Prime Contractors Meet SB and DVBE Participation Goals on California Public Contracts

Here is how prime contractors meet SB and DVBE participation goals on California contracts, using the Department of General Services certified firm search.

By Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, Founder and Lead Strategist, Global Economic Research Consulting (GERC)

California sets a statewide goal of 25 percent small business (SB) participation and 3 percent disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE) participation in state contracting. Many cities, counties, transit agencies and federal funders add their own small, local or disadvantaged business requirements. For a prime contractor, meeting these goals can decide whether a proposal is responsive and how well it scores.

Know which programme applies

• State SB and DVBE, certified by the Department of General Services and used on state-funded contracts
• DBE, a federal programme certified through the California Unified Certification Program and used on federally funded transportation contracts
• Local programmes, such as SBE or LBE certifications run by cities, counties and transit agencies
• Federal small business subcontracting plans on federal prime contracts above certain thresholds

A firm certified in one programme does not automatically count in another. Check the solicitation for which certifications count.

Find certified firms early

• Search the state certified firm database on Cal eProcure for SB, Micro Business, SB-PW and DVBE firms.
• Search the California UCP directory for DBE firms.
• Look beyond construction trades. Professional services such as economic analysis, grant writing, outreach and document preparation can also count.
• Start outreach weeks before the due date, not days.

Give subconsultants real scope

Participation that looks like a pass-through invites questions. Assign a defined, commercially useful scope with its own deliverables. Economic analysis, benefit-cost work and grant sections are well-defined tasks a small firm can own.

Document everything

• Outreach logs, solicitations sent and responses received
• Quotes and reasons for selection or rejection
• Signed commitments and forms required by the agency
• Good-faith effort documentation where the programme allows it

How GERC helps meet SB and DVBE participation goals

GERC is a woman-owned, California-certified SB (Micro) and SB-PW firm (Certification ID 2045992). We join teams as an economic, benefit-cost and grant subconsultant, and we help primes find, vet and document other certified subcontractors. See Teaming Partners and our subcontracting plan guide.

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About the author

Dr. Shirley Ayangbah is the founder of Global Economic Research Consulting, a woman-owned, California-certified Small Business (Micro) and SB-PW firm in San Bernardino (Certification ID 2045992). She holds a PhD in International Economic and Financial Law and an MA in Economics, and leads GERC’s procurement, grant and economic analysis work for public agencies, prime contractors and small businesses. Call (909) 454-7076 or book a consultation.