The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has launched several new programs with the intent of supporting small local businesses in city contracting. The programs are designed to provide direct assistance to small local businesses as well as provide incentives to large prime contractors to work with small local businesses.
The Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE) Program and the Micro-LSBE Program are both already accepting applications for certification. The criteria for being certified as an LSBE are that the business must: be based in Duval, Nassau, Baker, Clay or St. Johns Counties; have averaged less than $3 million in revenue in the past three years (or less, if the business has not been operating for three years yet); and majority ownership is restricted to individuals with a net worth under $1.32 million. The Micro-LSBE certification criteria are identical with the exception that the business must have been in operation for at least a year and has averaged under $500,000 in revenue over the past three years or less.
In addition to encouraging primes to work with LSBEs and Micro-LSBEs by means of setting contract goals, the programs will also set up mentorship programs, under which LSBEs and Micro-LSBEs can receive technical assistance from primes. Primes will receive bid discounts for having LSBE mentees. There will also be a "Sheltered Market" program for Micro-LSBEs for non-federally-assisted contracts under $35,000.
"The LSBE and Micro-LSBE programs will make it easier for [local small businesses] to do business with the JTA and is another example of our commitment to the Northeast Florida community," JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. said in a statement.
View the JTA's page for the new programs at https://www.jtafla.com/business-center/lsbe-micro-lsbe-programs/.
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