V.    LOCAL, MINORITY, AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

It is the policy of the Board of Education to maximize the utilization of qualified local, minority, and women owned business enterprises ("LMWBE") who provide professional services or who serve as prime contractors, subcontractors or suppliers as a part of the District's facilities construction, maintenance and repair programs. Prime contractors on district construction projects shall make and document good faith efforts to maximize the utilization of qualified LMWBEs as subcontractors and suppliers and provide proof of such efforts and contracts with and payments made to LMWBEs upon request. The Board also promotes capacity building within the local construction community and encourages the use of partnerships, teaming and mentorships to provide LMWBEs with relevant and necessary experiences to grow their business.

For the purposes of this policy, good faith efforts may include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Attend pre-solicitation meetings to inform LMWBEs of subcontracting opportunities.
• Advertise in general circulation media, trade association publications, and minority and women business enterprise media to provide notice of subcontracting opportunities.
• Communicate with the City of Savannah's Office of Economic Development to identify available and qualified LMWBE firms.
• Review the District’s list of vendors indicating an interest in providing services to the District.
• Select portions of work for subcontracting in areas with established availability of LMWBE subcontractors.
• Solicit and negotiate with available and qualified LMWBEs for specific subcontracting opportunities.
• Assign substantive work to LMWBEs or LMWBE teaming partners.

For the purposes of this policy, a local business enterprise is defined as

1. having established a regular, physical place of business other than a job site office with at least one employee within the geographical boundaries of the Savannah Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) prior to the closing date on the solicitation (a post office box address will not satisfy this requirement);
2. having a current Business Tax Certificate and other licenses, certificates, or its required by law to operate a business in that location; and
3. performing a commercially useful function within the local office.

For the purposes of this policy, a Minority Business Enterprise is an independent, continuing venture that is at least 51% owned by a minority person or persons that meets the criteria for a Disadvantaged Business. A Disadvantaged Business is a small business which is owned, controlled and managed on a daily basis by a majority of persons, not limited to members of minority groups, who have been deprived of the opportunity to develop and maintain a competitive position in the economy because of social disadvantage. This includes:

1. African American: A person with origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa;
2. Hispanic American: A person with origins from Mexico, South America, Central America or the Caribbean Basin, regardless of race;
3. Asian American: A person with origins from the Indian subcontinent, countries of the Asian Pacific region, and surrounding countries; and
4. American Indian: A person with origins from the indigenous people of North America.

For the purposes of this policy, a Women Business Enterprise is an independent, continuing venture that is at least 51% owned by one or more women. To qualify as an LMWBE, the owner must be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States, be involved in daily business operations, and provide a commercially useful function. The ownership interest must be real and continuous and not created solely to meet the local/minority/women business or local/minority/women contractor good faith efforts.

SCCPSS shall, through their program management and construction management providers, engage in efforts to communicate opportunities afforded by the District's facilities construction, maintenance and repair programs to LMWBEs, including but not limited to:

• Communicate opportunities associated with SCCPSS facilities construction, maintenance and repair programs to the citizens of Chatham County;
• Work with other local governments and relevant community organizations to provide technical assistance and guidance to LMWBEs;
• Develop strategies to assist prime contractors in maximizing their utilization of LMWBEs;
• Develop and provide informational sessions to educate LMWBEs in the requirements of the District's procurement process.
• Provide notices as outlined above and maintain a list of vendors who have provided or are interested in providing services to the SCCPSS, as outlined above.

SCCPSS may, from time to time, audit vendor contracts with and payments to LWMBE contractors and subcontractors and may require that proof of such contracts and payments be provided to the SCCPSS.

Policy FG, Facilities Projects Administration

Last Revised Date: 2/1/17