The programs offered by the City of Cleveland Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) provide for participation as prime and sub-contractors on City-related contracts, development efforts for targeted companies, and the employment of Cleveland residents on certain construction projects.
Major functions of the OEO include:
- Certification of businesses as local, minority, or female-owned
- Evaluation of City contracts related to the use of minority and female-owned businesses, employees, and local companies
- Determination of goals and requirements for City contracts
- Monitoring of contractor's compliance with various contract requirements
- Training and information for contractors and potential contractors
- Investigation and penalty imposition for failure to comply with OEO programs
- Development and technical support for target businesses
- Local outreach
All Cleveland-Area Small Businesses, Minority Business Enterprises, and Female Business Enterprises are urged to apply for certification through the Mayor's Office of Equal Opportunity.
Key Terms / Definitions
B2Gnow - a web-based contractor certification and contract compliance monitoring system used by the City of Cleveland Office of Equal Opportunity to monitor compliance on City contracts
Bidder - a Person offering to contract with the City in response to an invitation to bid
City - the City of Cleveland
City Financial Assistance - any grant, loan, tax increment financing, residential multi-family tax abatement in compliance with Ordinance No. 482-2022, Section 3, below market-value land transfer, and/or City-funded capital infrastructure improvements associated with a development project
Cleveland Area Small Business or “CSB” - a Business Enterprise certified under division (a) of Section 187.03. that has its principal office located physically within the municipal boundaries of the City
Contract - a binding agreement executed on or after the effective date of this Cleveland Area Business Code by which the City either grants a privilege or is committed to expend or does expend its funds or other resources or confers a benefit having monetary value including, but not limited to, a grant, loan, interest in real or personal property, or tax incentive in any form for or in connection with any work, project, or public purpose
Contracting Department - includes any administrative department under the charge of the Mayor or any office, board, or commission treated or construed as a department of City government for any purpose under the city's Charter or ordinances for the benefit or program of which the City enters into a particular Contract.
Contractor - a prime contractor, a subcontractor, or any other business entering into a contract with the Developer related to the use, maintenance, or operation of the Project or part thereof
Community Benefits Agreement or (CBA) - a legally enforceable agreement between the City of Cleveland and the Developer that provides community benefits
Community Benefits - the amenities, benefits, commitments, or promises described in Sections 191A.02 and 191A.03 of this Chapter
Community Benefits Plan (CBP) - a set of specific objectives that the Developer commits to fulfill in order to meet the requirements of the CBA. The CBP should be presented in quantifiable terms with S.M.A.R.T. milestones - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely - and timelines wherever possible. If the SMART method is not applied, the application may be rescinded.
Construction Worker Hours - the total hours worked on a Construction Contract by Skilled and Unskilled Construction Trade Workers, whether those workers are employed by the Contractor or any Subcontractor. In determining the total Construction Worker Hours to be furnished at the construction site, there shall be included the number of hours devoted to all tasks customarily performed on a construction site, whether or not such tasks are, in fact, performed on the construction site. Construction Worker Hours excludes the number of hours of work performed by non-Ohio residents
Developer - any person, firm, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, proprietorship, or other entity that proposes a Development Project, excluding public improvement projects, in the City of Cleveland
Development Project - new construction of and alterations to buildings and structures located in the City
Female Business Enterprise or "FBE" - a Business Enterprise owned, operated, and controlled by one or more Females with 51% ownership. One or more Females must have operational and managerial Control, interest in the capital, and earnings commensurate with the percentage of Female ownership. To qualify as a Female Business Enterprise, the Business Enterprise shall be located and doing business in the Cleveland Contracting Market
LCPtracker - the online labor compliance monitoring software suite that allows contractors and subcontractors to complete, certify, and submit certified payroll reports to OEO electronically
Low-Income Resident - means a City Of Cleveland Resident who, when first employed by a contractor, is a member of a family having a total income equal to or less than the "Section 8" Low-Income limit established by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Low-income family is defined as a family whose annual income does not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the median family income for the area in which they reside, as determined by HUD. Income limits are adjusted for family size. A Resident who is not a member of a family shall be considered as a one (1) person family for this purpose. A Resident shall retain "Low-Income Person" status for a continuous five (5) year period starting upon the OEO's written acknowledgment that the Resident's family income does not exceed the above-stated limit, provided the Resident remains a Resident during the five (5) year period.
Minority Business Enterprise or "MBE" - a Business Enterprise owned, operated, and controlled by one or more Minority Persons with at least 51% ownership. The Minority Person(s) must have operational and managerial Control, interest in capital, and earnings commensurate with the percentage of ownership. To qualify as a Minority Business Enterprise, the enterprise shall be located and doing business in the Cleveland Contracting Market
OEO - the Mayor’s Office of Equal Opportunity of the City of Cleveland
Proposer - any Person proposing to contract with the City in response to a request for proposals or other similar solicitation