The Business Equity Division supports capacity building efforts for aspiring and existing Business Equity Firms (minority and women business enterprises), or disadvantaged business enterprises. Leads efforts to close racial and gender gaps in City contracting and procurement; and assists Business Equity Firms in gaining access to prime contracting and sub-contracting opportunities compliant with the City Council’s most current Business Equity Ordinance #25165-10-2021(PDF, 1MB).
Certified firms which qualify for the Business Equity Program, and count as having a Significant Business Presence, must reside within the City’s Marketplace defined as the City of Fort Worth (including portions of Parker, Wise and Denton counties) and Tarrant, Dallas, and Johnson counties. Business Equity Firms will be recognized on a case-by-case basis when firms have been verified in existence for 24 months with at least 20% of its workforce based in the Markeplace. Alternatively, a firm with cumulative business receipts since January 1, 2013 greater than $1,000,000 of work done in the Marketplace will count as having a Significant Business Presence in the Marketplace.
The Business Equity Division also collects and analyzes contract data on the utilization and availability of Business Equity Firms. Additionally, we collect and analyze contract closeout satisfaction survey data. This data is used to assess equity in Business Equity Firms’ participation levels, identify, engage, and connect pools of ready, willing, and able certified Firms to future opportunities with the City of Fort Worth.
The following Business Equity Firm Categories are eligible in the City of Fort Worth’s program:
MBE — means a minority business enterprise owned by a United States citizen(s), Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic, and Native American. The business must be at least 51% owned by such individuals. In a publicly owned business, at least fifty one percent (51%) of all classes of the stock of which is owned by one or more minority individuals (i.e., the management and daily business operations controlled by those minority group members). The City accepts MBE certification from the following agencies: North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (NCTRCA) and Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Business Development Council (DFW MSDC)
WBE — means women business enterprise owned by a United States citizen(s) who are one or more women. The business must be at least 51% owned by such individual(s). In a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals (i.e., the management and daily operations controlled by one or more women). The City accepts WBE certification from the following agencies: Women’s Business Council – Southwest (WBCS) and North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (NCTRCA).
Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are program eligible for federally-funded projects:
DBE — for-profit small businesses where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals own at least a 51% interest, and also control management and daily business operations. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged. To be regarded as economically disadvantaged, an individual must have a personal net worth that does not exceed $1.32 million. The City accepts DBE certification from the following agencies: North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (NCTRCA) and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT, Unified Certification Program (UCP).
Certification Agencies approved by the City of Fort Worth
The Business Equity Department accepts certifications from the following agencies Women Business Council-Southwest, Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council, North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency, and, Texas Unified Certification Program. Please see the certification matrix for more information.
