• Mission Statement 
• What is the ESB Program? 
• Program Objectives 
• Opportunities Available Now 
• ESB Mentor-Protégé
• 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.

ESB Program Brochure
 
Beginning in 2011, in order to be certified 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:
  1. Not exceeding $1,699,953 for construction firms and $679,981 for non-construction firms; or
  2. Not exceeding $3,399,907 for construction firms and $1,133,302 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 current statute allows a firm to participate in the program a maximum of 12 years.

• 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 contracting opportunities worth several million dollars that certified Oregon firms 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

The Office of Civil Rights has developed a project-specific mentor-protégé program for ESB firms which perform ODOT-related work. The purpose of the program is to assist ESB firms to expand their capacity to perform on larger and more challenging ODOT contracts. Selected protégés are expected to participate in the program a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years, depending on continuation funding, time required to meet the team’s goals, and the ability to maintain an ODOT contract link during the duration of the program.
 
The ESB program is looking for a total of 12-15 certified firms to participate in the program. Firms wishing to participate must meet the following criteria:

• The firm must be certified as an Emerging Small Business by the Office of Minority, Women & Emerging Small Business and possess a valid certification number.
• The firm must file a standard letter of interest with the ESB program at ODOT. This letter will remain on file for the balance of the current biennium. 

 
To move from the letter of interest phase to an active applicant the firm must:

• Have an active contract/subcontract on an ODOT project, preferably with an end date scheduled to run at least one year after the firm’s date of acceptance into the program.
• Complete the Mentor Protégé Program Application (doc). Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received. Participation as a protégé will be determined on a space available basis.

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)

• 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 Construction Contractors Board
• Oregon Corporation Division
• Oregon Department of Administrative Services
• 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

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 503-986-3016 or e-mail to John.Downing@odot.state.or.us.