EBE Certification Overview

What is EBE Certification?

The City of Wichita is committed to ensuring equal opportunity, promoting diversity and enhancing economic opportunities for Emerging and Disadvantaged businesses. The City's vision is to enhance opportunities for qualified Emerging and Disadvantaged businesses by increasing their representation and utilization (measured by the amount of dollars spent) in the competitive base of contractors from which the City regularly purchases goods and services. Additionally, the City is committed to ensuring that all suppliers have equal access to the City’s purchasing opportunities.

EBE certification is valid for 3 years.  More information on EBE certification can be found here. 

What are the Benefits of EBE Certification?

There are 3 benefits to becoming EBE Certified:

1. EBE Certified Businesses receive net 10 day payment terms. The City of Wichita's general payment terms to vendors is net 30 days. City staff strive to pay all EBE Certified Businesses within net 10 days on City purchase orders and contracts for goods and services rendered. Providing this short payment term helps maintain cash flow to better manage and grow the business.

2. 5% RFP Scoring. The City of Wichita utilizes Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional services. The RFP process emphasizes qualifications, skills, expertise, experience, work schedule and price. EBE Certified Businesses and/or Subcontracting/Joint Ventures will receive a minimum of 5% of the scoring on all City RFP evaluation criteria. Proposals utilizing federal funds have separate rules for DBE participation. 

3. Listing on the EBE Directory. EBE Certified Businesses will be listed on a directory on the city website so that the general public may easily find and use EBE certified businesses.

An “Emerging Business Enterprise” is defined as a small business enterprise (including its affiliates) which is independently owned and operated and has been operational for at least six months. The Emerging Business Enterprise must not be dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding for City contracts, and must also fulfill the following field-specific criteria:

• Manufacturing firms: average annual employment not exceeding 500 people.
• Non-manufacturing Wholesalers firms: average annual employment not exceeding 100 people.
• Non-manufacturing Retail Trade firms: average annual receipts not exceeding $7.5 million dollars.
• Service firms: average annual receipts not exceeding $7.5 million dollars.
• Construction and Contractor firms: average annual receipts not exceeding $15 million dollars.