Advantages of Certification
- Listing in the City’s MWDBE Directory which is updated daily.
- Certification accepted by the following entities: Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Mid-American Minority Business Development Council, the KCMO School District, Kansas City Area Transit Authority, Missouri Regional Certification Council (MRCC)
- Access to free workshops, seminars, and training classes
- Regional Electronic notification of contract opportunities, RFPs, and RFQs
- KCMO certification is also accepted by:
- University of Missouri Systems
- National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)
- Kansas Department of Transportation
- Missouri Department of Transportation
Requirements
- The minority or female owner must possess at least 51% ownership, management, and control of the business.
- The minority or female owner must have the training/expertise to perform the work, and where required, have a license in his or her name.
- The firm must be independent and currently operating.
- Principal place of business must be within the seven county Greater KCMSA (consisting of Cass, Clay, Johnson, Jackson, Platte, Wyandotte, and Leavenworth); and
- The firm maintains full time employees in one or more of the firm’s offices within the KCMSA to conduct business or solicit business in the KCMSA the majority of the working time; and
- The firm has transacted business more than once in the KCMSA within the last three years; and
- The firm has been in existence in the KCMSA at least one year prior to application for MBE/WBE program
- Firms are certified for 3 years and must submit annual updates, and notify HRD of any changes in ownership or control.
- The firm must meet the Small Business Administration (SBA) Size Standard(s) for its industry classification(s)
- For DBE certification, applicant must have a Personal Net Worth of less than $1,320,000, excluding value of home and ownership interest in the business. There are no local presence requirements.
Certification Process
The certification process includes the following steps:
- Preliminary screening of Application and supporting documentation
- Desk Audit
- Financial Audit
- Field Audit
- Committee Review and Decision
It is very important to submit all supporting documentation promptly to ensure a quick decision. Once all paperwork has been provided and an onsite field audit has been performed, a certification decision should be issued within 30 days.
For more information or to register, please call (816) 513-1836.