Minority / Women’s Business

Minority & Women Business Enterprise Program

The purpose of the M/WBE Program is to:

Formally communicate the City’s policy regarding non-discrimination in its procurement practices.
Provide to the fullest extent possible, consistent with sound management practices, and state and federal laws, opportunities for participation by firms owned and controlled by minorities and women.

To locate certified minority and women-owned businesses in the Winston-Salem area, go to our Resources Page. To learn about upcoming bids and other important business opportunities, please visit the Working with the City of Winston-Salem Page

Examples of Goods & Services

The City of Winston-Salem actively seeks and identifies qualified M/WBEs to offer the opportunity to participate as providers of goods and services to our various departments. The City of Winston-Salem is committed to spending funds within the local economy to show its support of M/WBEs. The City of Winston-Salem accomplishes this by requiring local vendors to be used, if available, for all discretionary spending under $20,000. Local M/WBE vendors must also be given the opportunity to bid/propose on the project. Here are some examples of the varying types of goods and services the City purchases.

FAQs

What is the M/WBE Program?

The purpose of the M/WBE Program is to:

Formally communicate the City’s policy regarding non-discrimination in its procurement practices.
Provide to the fullest extent possible, consistent with sound management practices, and state and federal laws, opportunities for participation by firms owned and controlled by minorities and women.

What are the M/WBE Program benefits?

M/WBE provides:

Assistance in completing the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) certification process required by the State of North Carolina
Assistance in increasing the City of Winston-Salem’s knowledge of your firm’s product or service and your desire to do business with the city
Assistance with the resolution of problems and complaints regarding non-compliance with the M/WBE Program
Electronic notification of bid opportunities and request for proposal (RFP)
Sessions that are beneficial to minority and woman-owned businesses, including:
In addition, the program provides workshops and seminars for minority- and women-owned businesses. You do not have to be a certified minority company to do business with the City of Winston-Salem but the certification will improve your chances to participate on city contracts.

What type of firm qualifies as a M/WBE?

Per NC General Statue 143-128.2,

(1) The term "minority business" means a business:

a. In which at least fifty-one percent (51%) is owned by one or more minority persons or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, or in the case of a corporation, in which at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the stock is owned by one or more minority persons or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and

b. Of which the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the minority persons or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it.

(2) The term "minority person" means a person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is:

a. Black, that is, a person having origins in any of the black racial groups in Africa;

b. Hispanic, that is, a person of Spanish or Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race;

c. Asian American, that is, a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia and Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands;

d. American Indian, that is, a person having origins in any of the original Indian peoples of North America; or G.S. 143-128.2 Page 4

e. Female

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