• Mission Statement 
• What is the ESB Program? 
• Program Objectives 
• Opportunities Available Now 
• ESB Program Certification
• ESB Program Forms
• Resource & Opportunity Links
• Contact Information

The Oregon Department of Transportation strongly encourages, and is committed to, the participation of Emerging Small Businesses (ESB's) in contracting opportunities.
The mission of the Emerging Small Business Program is to create new and innovative contracting opportunities for Oregon's small business community. It's also a goal of the program to assist emerging small businesses in overcoming barriers to participating in the state's extensive public contracting procurement programs.
As with every program, ODOT's policy is not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex and/or national origin when awarding and administering those contracts.

Beginning in 2009, to be certified to participate as a qualified ESB, your business must:

• Have its principal place of business located in Oregon
• Have an average annual gross receipts over the last three years in either of two Tiers: I) not exceeding $1,633,110 million for construction firms and $653,244 for non-construction firms; or II) not exceeding $3,266,219 for construction firms and $1,088,744 for non-construction
• Have fewer than 20 employees for Tier I or 30 employees for Tier II
• Be an independent business (not a subsidiary of a larger firm)
• Be properly licensed and legally registered in this state

The statute now legislation also extends the time a firm may participate in the ESB program to a maximum of 12 years or until its gross receipts average exceeds the size standard for construction or non-construction firms.

• Ensure ODOT complies with Oregon laws and requirements
• Assist and encourage other state and local agencies to develop ESB program initiatives
• Ensure that diverse opportunities are available statewide to a diverse pool of eligible businesses
• Ensure that ESB's can compete fairly for selected Oregon Transportation Funded projects
• Ensure that only eligible firms participate as ESB's
• Help develop firms to compete successfully in the marketplace outside the ESB Program

Exclusive bidding Opportunities for certified ESB firms

The ESB program annually identifies hundreds of contracting opportunities that certified Oregon firm are encouraged to pursue.
Many of these contracting opportunities are estimated to cost less than $100,000, are not technically complex, and are relatively short in duration. Best of all, many of these projects are set aside for excusive bidding by certified ESB firms. This guarantees that you will be bidding only against other firms of the same relative size. Virtually all projects selected for exclusive bidding by ESBs are advertised on the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN) system. You can access this system on the Web at: http://orpin.oregon.gov/open.dll/welcome

Firms are required to be a certified ESB to participate in the Emerging Small Business Program. The application process is free and fairly simple to complete.

 

To obtain ESB certification contact:

The Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (OMWESB)
Oregon Business Development Department
775 Summer St. NE, Ste. 200
P.O. Box 14480
Salem, OR 97309-0405
Salem office: (503) 986-0075
Fax: (503) 373-7041
E-Mail: omwesb.web@state.or.us
Web Address: http://www.oregon.gov/OBDD/OMWESB/index.shtml

• ESB Certification Application & Instructions

Government

• City of Portland Purchasing
• The Port of Portland
• Governor's Advocate
• Multnomah County Purchasing
• Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
• Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries
• Oregon Business Guides
• Oregon Construction Contractors Board
• Oregon Corporation Division
• Oregon Department of Administrative Services
• Starting A Business In Oregon
• Oregon Secretary of State
• Oregon State Web site
• U.S. Small Business Administration

Chamber of Commerce

• African American Chamber of Commerce
• Oregon Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Oregon Native American Chamber of Commerce
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce of Oregon

Associations

• American Subcontractors Association
• Associated General Contractors
• Association of Oregon Counties
• League of Oregon Cities
• National Association of Women in Construction
• Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
• Oregon Builders Congress
• Oregon Native American Business & Entrepreneurial Network
• Oregon Small Business Development Center Network
• Service Corps of Retired Executives

For more information about the ESB Program, contact our Emerging Small Business Program Coordinator at 503-838-6026 or e-mail to gerald.hoffman@odot.state.or.us.