Prime contractors bidding on contracts with the City of San Diego may discover that they have to comply with Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) and Emerging Local Business Enterprise (ELBE) program requirements.
On City projects valued at $1,000,000 or more, prime bidders must meet the contract's SLBE/ELBE participation goal or demonstrate that they made a good faith effort to achieve the goal. While bidders that regularly compete for public works projects have become accustomed to the outreach requirements found on contracts with disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE), they may be surprised by the rigor of San Diego's SLBE/ELBE good faith effort requirements.
Standard good faith efforts usually require bidders to solicit the certified subcontractors by publishing notices advertising opportunities on the project, sending invitations to bid to a selection of eligible subcontractors, and following up on the invitations with at least one telephone inquiry. For the City, however, bidders must send invitations to bid to all SLBE/ELBEs with a NAICS code that corresponds with items of work or supplies sought by the bidder and perform three rounds of telephone solicitations that start no less than five days prior to the contract's bid date. Moreover, ten days before the contract's bid date bidders must send written notice of subcontracting opportunities to at least five local organizations that can help them recruit SLBE/ELBEs.
If you are bidding on a City of San Diego contract with SLBE/ELBE requirements, DBEGoodFaith.com can create a custom solution to help you meet your good faith effort outreach requirements. To learn more, call us at (877) 802-3394.
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