Equitable Procurement

No. Boulder County does not evaluate proposals or bids based on MBE/WBE status, race, gender, or any other protected class.

Both acronyms refer to Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises.

Boulder County’s Procurement Policy uses the term MBE/WBE, which is an acronym for Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise. For its certification program, the City and County of Denver uses MWBE, which refers to Minority/Women Business Enterprise.

Boulder County relies upon Denver’s certification for tracking purposes, and in this context both acronyms may be used interchangeably.

Boulder County’s vendor selection procedures require selections to be made based on best value to the County. The County does not make procurement awards based on MBE/WBE status, race, gender, or other protected classes.

In 2024, an independent consultant found disparities in the utilization of Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises in county contracts and subcontracts. The study found that on a dollar basis, the number of contracts awarded to MBEs/WBEs was statistically lower than could be expected based on the number of available MBEs/WBEs interested in, and qualified to do business with Boulder County. Consequently, Boulder County has implemented an MBE/WBE policy with two primary components: 1) requiring outreach to MBE/WBE on purchases $10,000 and over, and 2) requiring Contract Participation Goals for certain types of projects.

If you are interested in the MWBE certification issued by the City and County of Denver, the first step is to review the MWBE certification program requirements.

The City and County of Denver offers informational sessions, scholarships and support to guide Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises through the process.

Contact information:

• Phone: 720-913-1714.
• Email: certificationinfo@denvergov.org.

Boulder County does set specific outreach goals as defined in the Boulder County Procurement – Policies and Procedures section.

Boulder County is dedicated to removing barriers in contracting for MBE/WBEs. To support this commitment, we have implemented a Contract Participation Goals program based on the recommendations from the 2024 Disparity Study.

Boulder County requires that prime contractors on certain competitive bids for construction projects reach out to, and use a certain percentage of MBE/WBE found in the City and County of Denver certification database. Only City and County of Denver MWBE-certified firms will count toward this goal.

Any Contract Participation Goals required for a bid or proposal will be posted on the opportunity page in the Boulder County Procurement Portal.

• View the list of Open Public Opportunities.

No. The goal of this specific program aims to reduce barriers to contracting for Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs). Per policy, the county recognizes MWBE certification issued by the City and County of Denver.

Pre-bid meetings are a great opportunity to meet prime contractors and other subcontractors; any project-related business is welcome at these meetings.

Boulder County recognizes the MWBE certification issued by the City and County of Denver. We encourage prime contractors to search the City and County of Denver certification database, maintained by the Denver Office of Economic Development.

Yes. Boulder County is committed to reducing barriers for Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises. This includes tracking payments made to MBE/WBE subcontractors working on projects with stated Contract Participation Goals.