Big Opportunities for Small Businesses
Additional Resources
To begin the DBE Certification process, call the NCDOT
at 919-733-2300 or 800-522-0453. You may also visit
them online at www.ncdot.org/business/ocr/contact
All DBE Certification applications and forms should be
mailed to:
North Carolina Department of Transportation
ATTN: Unified Certification Program
1509 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1509
For more information about the Charlotte Business
INClusion program, how to conduct business with the City,
SBE Certification and MWBE registration, please contact
the Charlotte Business INClusion Office at 704-336-2473
or visit them online at charlottebusinessinclusion.com
For further information about CLT’s DBE program or
Charlotte Business INClusion, contact:
Laura Dahlberg
Business Diversity Programs Coordinator
704-359-1910 or ladahlberg@cltairport.com
Take Your
Business
to New Heights
With CLT!
More than half of all Americans either own a small business or work for one. However,
many small businesses are often unaware of opportunities to compete for publicly funded
contracts, which prevent them from entering the bidding pool.
At Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), we believe small business participation
in the bidding process is vital to the health and prosperity of the entire region. That is why we
are proud to participate in the Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) and the Charlotte
Business INClusion Program.
Doing Business with
the City of Charlotte
The City of Charlotte
consists of 14 departments,
including the Aviation
Department (CLT). Each
department performs a
function to service the
City’s citizens either
directly or through a supporting role. In order for each
department to perform its necessary functions, the City
purchases goods or services from commercial vendors.
The City’s Procurement Services Division is responsible
for the majority of purchasing and contracts. However,
each department has wide discretion in its purchasing ability so it can obtain the goods or services for its
particular needs.
The Purchasing Process
The City starts the process of purchasing a good or
service by soliciting offers from prospective vendors.
Offer solicitation is the City’s method of announcing
to the public its plans of acquiring a good or service.
Solicitations come in the
form of an RFQ (Request
for Qualifications), RFP
(Request for Proposal),
or ITB (Invitation to Bid).
P.O. Box 19066, Charlotte, NC 28219
P: 704.359.4000 n F: 704.359.4030
cltairport.com
When CLT considers making purchases and contracts
for goods or services greater than $100,000 (known as
formal purchases/contracts) it advertises them on the
Advertisements for Bids & Proposals page of CLT’s
website: cltairport.com. Purchases and contracts
for goods or services less than $100,000 (known as
informal purchases/contracts) are not subject to public
advertisements. Informal purchases or contracts can
be made through direct contact.
Becoming a Vendor
Any firm that performs a
commercially useful function can become a City
vendor. Firms seeking to
become a general vendor
can register through
cityvendors.charmeck.org
or through the City’s
Procurement Service Division.
Small firms seeking to become a certified vendor,
known as certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs)
can do so through the Charlotte Business INClusion
program. Firms seeking to become certified must
meet the program’s criteria, which can be found at
charlottebusinessinclusion.com
SBE
DBE
SBE Certification Requirements
DBE Certification Requirements
To particiapte in this program, all qualifying
for-profit businesses must meet these
SBE Certification requirements:
City of Charlotte Business
INClusion Program
The Charlotte Business INClusion Program seeks to enhance
competition and participation of small minority and women
owned firms in City contracting and promote economic
growth and development in the City of Charlotte.
In addition to supporting and encouraging local business
growth at all levels, the Charlotte Business INClusion
program helps to:
mDevelop and grow small businesses in the Charlotte area.
mRemediate effects of discrimination against minority
and women-owned firms that has adversely affected
their ability to participate in City contracts.
It applies to all aspects of CLT’s contracting and procurement program, including but not limited to the purchase
of appa-ratus, supplies, materials, equipment, construction
projects and all service contracts, as well as equipment
rental and ease agreements.
Small Business Enterprises
In 2013, the City of Charlotte phased the Charlotte Business
INClusion Program into all of its practices and procedures,
which encompasses the City’s Small Business Enterprise
(SBE) Program. SBEs are encouraged to complete the
City’s SBE certification application. This process verifies
that a company meets standards established by the
City and ensures certified
SBEs receive a monthly
contracting opportunities
list and quarterly Office
of Small Business Development Newsletter.
To particiapte in this program, all qualifying
for-profit businesses must meet these
DBE Certification requirements:
OWNERSHIP: 51% of the business or its stock
must be owned and controlled by individuals
meeting eligibility requirements.
OWNERSHIP: 51% of the business or its stock must be
owned and controlled by companies or individuals (one or
more) that are socially and economically disadvantaged.
PERSONAL WEALTH: The owner’s personal net
worth cannot exceed $750,000. (Excluding primary
residence and ownership interest in the firm.)
OPERATIONS: The day-to-day business operations
must be controlled by one or more socially and
economically disadvantaged enterprise owners.
LOCATION: The office(s) must be located in the
Charlotte Regional Area. (Mecklenburg, Cabarrus,
SIZE: The size of the business must fit into the
SBA Small Business Standards.
FUNCTION: The business must provide
a commercially useful function
GROSS RECEIPTS: The average annual
gross receipts of the firm’s previous
three fiscal years cannot exceed $22.41 million.
Anson, York, Union, Gaston, Rowan and Lincoln Counties)
SIZE: The size of the business must fit 25%
the SBA Small Business Standards.
DURATION: The business has been open
for at least 1 year.
Minority/Women Business Enterprise
(MWBE) Goals
In addition, to certifying SBEs, the City also registers
Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) to
meet goals outlined through the Charlotte Business
INClusion Program.
For an SBE to also register as an MWBE, the business
must meet the following criteria:
mMWBEs must be certified by the State of North
Carolina’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)
Office.
mMWBEs also need to be headquartered in the
Charlotte Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which
is comprised of the following 13 counties: Anson,
Cabarrus, Chester, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell,
Lancaster, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanley,
Union, and York.
Additional Airport
Programs
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) and Airport Concession
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(ACDBE) Programs
PERSONAL WEALTH: The owner’s personal net
worth cannot exceed $1.32 million (Excluding primary
residence and ownership interest in the firm)
As a recipient of federal grants from the Department of
Transportation through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the DBE as well as the ACDBE Programs are
committed to developing processes and procedures
that will enable these businesses to participate on CLT’s
contracts at a level that represents their availability in
their respective industries.
The DBE and ACDBE Programs are designed to create
a level playing field that fosters and promotes the
participation of disadvantaged businesses in contracts
needed to support and achieve the goals and objectives
of grants, as provided. These goals are oriented towards
maximizing the exposure of qualifying businesses to a
variety of contract opportunities that prompt growth,
diversity in contract services and the successful
completion of all contracts.
For more information about doing business with the
Airport or the Airport’s DBE and ACDBE Programs, visit
cltairport.com and click on the link for “Business with CLT.”
The Airport is operated financially on a fully self-sustaining basis – no general
fund revenues have ever been or are appropriated to the cost of the facilities
or operations. Rather, Airport revenues defray all capital and operating costs
including the cost of City furnished services. Airport revenue types include
the airfield, terminal area, concessions, parking and the cargo area. This gives
the Airport its annual operating budget.