Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Program | City of Pensacola, Florida Official Website

It is the policy of City of Pensacola to institute and maintain an effective Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) program. This program is intended to assist certified minority and women-owned businesses with identifying and participating in City of Pensacola procurement and construction opportunities.

Certification Benefits

The M/WBE certification is a valuable tool for doing business with the City. There is no cost and does not require financial, legal, or other paid professional assistance to complete the process. Other benefits include:

  • Business networking with prime vendors.
  • Each certified M/WBE business is listed in our M/WBE Directory. The purpose of the M/WBE Directory is to assist prime contractors, the general public, and city departments in their efforts to identify certified minority- and women-owned vendors.

Visit our Minority/Women Business Directory

M/WBE Eligibility Standards

An eligible M/WBE is a business concern, which is both owned and controlled by minorities or by women. Minorities or women must own at least fifty-one % (51%) of the business and must control the management and daily operations of that business. Further, only businesses located within the City of Pensacola’s regional area (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton Counties, and Mobile, Alabama), and meeting other stipulated criteria, are eligible for M/WBE City Certification:

  1. Majority Owner(s) must be a Minority or Woman who manage and control the business. In the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51% of all classes of issued stock, shall be owned by one or more of such persons. The ownership and control shall be real, substantial and continuing, and shall extend beyond the initial certification process of the firm as may be reflected in ownership documents.
  2. Owner(s) must be a United States citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States.
  3. Business must be legally structured either as a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability, or any other business or professional entity required by Florida Law.
  4. Owner(s) must have expertise normally required by the industry for the field in which Certification is requested.
  5. Business must be independent, not an affiliate or conduit.
  6. Business must be for-profit.
  7. Business must be currently located within Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, or Walton Counties in Florida, or Mobile, Alabama.
  8. Business must have all licenses required by local, state, and federal law.
  9. Minimum of one (1) full year of business operations.
  10. Business must be registered with the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations (Sunbiz.org).

Certification Applications:

  1. Online M/WBE Certification Application
    • Commodities/Service Form (PDF)
    • NIGP Codes
    • Instructions – How to select NIGP codes
    • Affidavit of Ethnic Designation Form (PDF)

Resources:

  • Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce
  • M/WBE Policy (Currently being updated)
  • Doing Business With the City (PDF)
  • Accessing Bids Online
  • Contact us via Email
  • Other Business Development Resources

Submit Applications using our Online Application, by mail or in person to: City Hall, 222 West Main Street, Purchasing Office, 6th Floor, Pensacola, Florida 32502 or by email to: MWBEProgram@cityofpensacola.com. For more information, please call the Purchasing Office at 850-435-1835.

All businesses must be registered with the State of Florida. Please visit the State of Florida’s Division of Corporations for further information

This post was last modified on December 14, 2024 11:31 am