Certified Business Utilization

DSBO’s authority is created by Executive Order.  

The Professional Service and Construction Ordinance is found in D.R.M.C. Chapter 28 Article III; the Goods & Services Ordinance in Article V; and Small Business Enterprise in Article VII; all are re-authorized at five-year intervals. 

The City and County of Denver is a direct recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation. As a condition of receiving federal assistance, DSBO is responsible for implementing all aspects of the DBE program in accordance with the 49 CFR Part 26.  

The purpose of D.R.M.C Chapter 28 Article III, V, and VII and 49 CFR Part 26 is to enable the city to ensure nondiscrimination, create a level playing field, narrow tailoring, ensure firms meet the eligibility standards, help remove barriers and assist in the development of firms to compete successfully outside the program. 

Through DSBO’s authority, opportunities are afforded for certified businesses to perform as primes and/or sub-contractors on city projects. DSBO establishes program requirements for SBE Defined Pool or MWBE/DBE Goals on city contracts.

These programs encourage certified MWBE/DBE subcontracting opportunities on construction, professional services, and goods and services. DSBO assesses city projects that are funded with city dollars or on city land for MWBE participation goals. DSBO also assesses federally funded projects for DBE goals on federally funded projects.  

Goals and goal type are established assessing several factors: 

• Source of funding: Local or federal
• Type of project or procurement
• Dollar amount allocated to the project
• Scope of work being done and/or what services are needed 
• Current number of certified firms that could be used on the project and a look at the current capacity of those firms to take on new projects
• Previous and current participation on similar projects
• Specific conditions and/or highly specialized requirements 

DSBO Director (or delegate) establishes and approves all goals  

The Defined Pool Program encourages prime contracting opportunities on construction, professional services, and goods and services to certified SBEs. 

SBE Defined Pool requirements are established by looking at several factors: 

• DSBO assesses city projects that are funded with city dollars or on city land for SBE Defined Pool
• Type of project or procurement
• Goods and Services: Contracts or Purchase Orders between $50,000 - $999,999.99
• Professional Service/Construction: No threshold. Based on pool of certified SBEs and scope of work, solicitation/procurement type, size and value
• Dollar amount allocated to the project
• Scope of work and/or what services are included 
• Current number of certified firms available to prime and capacity of those firms to take on new projects
• Specific conditions and/or highly specialized requirements 

DSBO Director (or delegate) establishes and approves all SBE Defined Pool requirements