Los Angeles County Office of Small Business

The County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors established the Local SBE Preference Program to enhance contracting opportunities for small businesses located within Los Angeles County. The price preference helps level the playing field for certified small businesses. The Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC) provides a centralized “One-Stop” certification process for eligible businesses to register for the Local SBE Program.

Who is eligible to participate?

The business must meet the following criteria:

· Must be independently owned and operated

· Cannot be dominant in its field of operation

· Must have principal office in Los Angeles County for at least 12 months

· Must have its owners (officers in the case of a corporation) domiciled in California

· With its affiliates, must be either:

1. A business fewer than 100 employees and an average of $14Million or less over the last three-year period.

2. A manufacturer with 100 or less employees.

Prior to applying for the County’s Local SBE Program, a business must obtain certification by the State of California (State) as a small business enterprise. The County’s Local SBE Program is modeled after the State’s small business preference program and utilizes the State’s SBE status as a prerequisite for the County’s certification as a Local SBE. Visit the State’s website at www.getcertified.dgs.ca.gov.

How do I apply?

Step 1: Obtain SBE certification from the State of California Department of General Services at www.getcertified.dgs.ca.gov.

Step 2: Register as a Vendor with the County of Los Angeles WEBVen at http://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/webven. NOTE: If business is already registered as a County Vendor, go to step 3. If you need your vendor number or pin number, please contact the Vendor Relations Help Desk at 323-267-2725.

Step 3: Go to http://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/webven to access your County Profile. Follow the steps and enter your State certification information on your County profile. If you need assistance updating your profile, please call our office at 323-881-3603.

What are the benefits?

· Bid Preference: Local SBEs are eligible for a five percent (5%) bid price reduction or “preference” during the evaluation process when bidding for goods and services in response to solicitations. The actual “preference” is calculated on the cost/price component of the lowest most responsible and responsive bid amount. In all cases, the Local SBE “preference” will not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for any one bid/proposal. The five percent (5%) preference is used only to determine the winning bidder or proposal and does not change the bid amount of the contract award.

· Directory Listing: The County annually prints a Directory of Local SBEs by category. The company name and contact information will appear in each category registered by the vendor. The directory is used by internal County contract and procurement officers as a ready reference of Local SBEs.

· SBE Prompt Payment Program and Small Business Payment Liaison: The Board of Supervisors established the SBE Prompt Payment Program for Local SBEs to be paid within 15-days of receipt of an undisputed invoice for goods or services. A Prompt Payment rubber stamp is issued to Local SBEs for use on their packing slips and invoices to expedite the process. The Prompt Payment Liaison provides a single point of contact to assist Local SBEs with any prompt payment issues.

Purchases not eligible for Local SBE

Preference:

· National contracts

· Revolving fund (petty cash) purchases

· Purchase Card (credit card) purchases

· Non-agreement purchases of less than $5,000

· Contracts funded by Federal grants where there are conflicting requirements for minority or women-owned business participation.

Under the Federal “grants management common rule,” the County’s Local SBE Preference will not be utilized. Applicants for federally funded bids/contracts are eligible for a small business preference regardless of their locality.

The County of Los Angeles amended its Local SBE Preference Program to include federally funded solicitations. As a result, more companies will now benefit from the broader application of the County’s program.

To be eligible for the preference for federally funded bids/contracts, applicants must:

1. Qualify under the U.S. Small Business Administration size standards and

2. Register as a small business on the Federal Central Contractor Registration database www.ccr.gov. You must have your DUNS number ready or obtain it from Dun & Bradstreet www.dnb.com prior to registration.

Small business preference procedures for federally funded projects are incorporated into the County of Los Angeles Office of Small Business Contracting Connections Workshops and training classes.

For those suppliers who qualify for the Community Business Enterprise (CBE) Program, a visit to the website of the Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC) is needed. There you will register as a Minority, Women, Disadvantaged, and/or Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise. It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles that participants in this program are afforded the maximum opportunity to participate in the County's procurement program. Click CBE.

JOC is a competitively bid; firm fixed priced indefinite quantity contract. It includes a collection of detailed facilities repair and construction tasks and specifications that have established unit prices. A JOC is awarded to a contractor on a qualified low bid basis for the accomplishment of repair, alteration, modernization, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, etc., of buildings, structures, or other real property improvements. Ordering is accomplished by issuance of a Work Order against the not to exceed funding limit of the Contract. For more information on Internal Services Department (ISD) Job Order Contracting click here.