The mission of MDHA is to provide Diversity Business Enterprise firms fair and equal accessibility to all of its procurement opportunities. MDHA is committed to increasing the participation of minority, women and small business enterprises in all aspects of its’ contracting of purchasing programs, including but not limited to procurement of equipment, construction and development projects, and professional services.
Diversity Business Enterprise Policy
It is the policy of MDHA to provide minorities, women and small business enterprise equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of contracting and purchasing programs, including but not limited to, participation in procurement contracts for equipment, professional services contracts, and construction contracts. To accomplish this MDHA has developed Diversity Business Enterprise Program Initiatives. MDHA prohibits discrimination against any person or business in pursuit of these opportunities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. MDHA will conduct its contracting and purchasing programs so as to prevent any discrimination and to resolve all claims of discrimination.
Certification
To ensure that minority, women, and small business firms benefits from procurement opportunities created by the Diversity Business Enterprise Program, proof of ownership, control, management responsibilities are required. Minority, women and small businesses will be placed on the vendor listing according to capacity, capability, procurement code and M/W/SBE status. Identification of minority, women and small businesses is necessary for evaluating the participation of these firms in MDHA contract activity, and for calculating the percentage of construction and purchases awarded annually to M/W/SBE’s. MDHA will accept certification of Minority and Woman Owned Business and approval of Small Business status from the following Agencies:
CERTIFYING AGENCIES
- Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise (Go-DBE)
Sheila Simpson, Program Director
3rd Floor, William R. Snodgrass TN Tower
312 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37243
Shelia.j.simpson@tn.gov
615-253-4657 - Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance
Michelle Lane, Director
Michelle.Lane@nashville.gov
(615) 880-2814
http://www.nashville.gov/Finance/Procurement/Minority-and-Women-Business-Assistance-(BAO)/SBE-and-SDV/Small-Business-Eligibility-and-Status-Confirmation.aspx
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
730 Second Ave. South, 1st Floor
Nashville, TN 37219 - U. S. Small Business Administration
Kena Dixon. Business Opportunity Specialist
50 Vantage Way, Suite 201, Nashville, TN 37228
Kena.dixon@sba.gov
615-736-7426 - Tennessee Department of Transportation – Civil Rights Office
Small Business Development Program
Deborah Luter, Director (615) 253-1075
deborah.luter@tn.gov
Ross Webb – (615) 253-1067
ross.webb@tn.gov
505 Deaderick Street, Suite 1800
Nashville, TN 37243 - Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council (TMSDC)
Cheri Henderson, President
220 Athens Way, Suite 105, Plaza 1, MetroCenter, Nashville, TN 37228
info@tmsdc.net
(615) 259-4699 - Nashville Transit Authority
Patricia Downs, Capital Grants Administrator/DBE Liaison
430 Myatt Drive, Nashville, TN 37115
Patricia.downs@nashville.gov
(615) 880-3977 - Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
Davita Taylor, Director
Business Diversity Development
One Terminal Drive, Suite 501, Nashville, TN 37214
Davita_taylor@nashintl.com
(615) 275-1468
Definitions
“Minority” means a person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is:
- Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa);
- Hispanic (a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race);
- Asian American (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East. Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); or
- American Indian and Alaskan Native (a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America).
“Minority Business Enterprise” shall mean a minority small business:
- A continuing, independent, for profit business which performs a commercially useful function, and is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more minority individuals; or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned and controlled by one or more minorities.
- Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of minority individuals.
- “Control” as used in the above clause, means exercising the power to make policy decision.
- “Operate,” as used in the above clause, means being actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business.
“Women Business Enterprise” shall mean small women business:
- A continuing, independent, for profit business which performs a commercially useful function, and which is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women; or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned and controlled by one or more women.
- Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of such individuals.
- “Control ” as used in the above clause, means exercising the power to make policy decision.
- “Operate, “as used in the above clause, means being actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business.
SMALL BUSINESS INTERPRISE AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4.44.010 OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY CODE OF LAWS;
“Small Business Enterprise” satisfies all of the following criteria:
- A United States business which is independently owned and operated, and which is not dominant in its field of operation or an affiliate or subsidiary of a business dominant in it’s field of operation.
- Either has no more than the following number of employees or has no more than the following annual sales volume for the applicable industry; and
Industry Annual Sales Volume Maximum Number of Employees Architectural/Design/Engineering $2,000,000 30 or less Construction $2,000,000 30 or less Finance, Insurance, Real Estate $1,000,000 9 or less Educational $1,000,000 9 or less Information Systems/Technology $2,000,000 30 or less Marketing/Communications/Public Relations $2,000,000 30 or less Retail Trade $750,000 9 or less Service Industry $500,000 9 or less Wholesale Trade $1,000,000 19 or less - Has demonstrated capability to perform independently a substantial portion of the contract they seek, or a substantial portion of the subcontract for which they are proposed by a bidder or offeror, as specified by the Purchasing Agent;
- Not share or jointly use office space, production, marketing and sales, business support systems, personnel or equipment with any business not classified by Metro as a small business (i.e., a large business);
- Has existed as a legal business entity for a minimum of one year (twelve monthos of continuous business enterprise), performing independently and satisfactorily and achieving a minimum of $35,000.00 sales income (collected sales dollars not simply booked sales);
- Not to be owned, controlled, or directed by individuals or groups of individuals, who own, control or direct a large business involved in the same category of work as the business for which small business status is sought;
- If a supplier, be an authorized regular distributor with normal wholesale agreements for the Product or products to be supplied; and
- If a construction contractor, be licensed as required by the state to perform the work for which it has submitted a bid or has been proposed by a prime as a subcontractor.
*NOTE: Employee means a person (or persons) employed on a full-time (or full-time equivalent), a permanent basis. Full-time equivalent also includes employees who work 30 hours per week or more. Full-time equivalent also includes the aggregate of employees who work less than 30 hours a week, where the work hours of such employees add up to at least 40 hour work week. The totality of the circumstances, including factors relevant for tax purposes, will determine whether persons are employees of a concern. Temporary employees, independent contractor or leased employees are not employees for these purposes. The owner(s) are excluded from this classification.
VENDOR REGISTRATION FORM. Vendors desiring to do business with MDHA and to be placed on the MDHA Vendor database must complete in its entirety the MDHA Vendor Application Form. Vendor applications can be emailed to Diane Baseheart at dbaseheart@nashville-mdha.org or facsimile to (615) 252-6733 or mailed to the address on the application. If claiming status as a DBE, vendors must include a copy of their certification as MBE/WBE or approval status as a Small Business. All vendors are placed on the same database whether DBE or Non-DBE. The vendor application form is available for download on this site.
Download the MDHA Vendor Application Form
VENDOR DATABASE. The Agency vendor database is available for viewing on this site. Vendors needing to update or make corrections to information should resubmit a new vendor application.