City of Savannah reintroducing Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Certification Program

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Minority and women owned businesses in Savannah will once again be able to take part in a local city certification program.

Minority and women owned businesses will be able to be locally certified and have access to city contracting opportunities through the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Certification Program.

It’s a part of the city’s economic pilot program that focuses on supporting local businesses.

”The city has goals for participation utilizing minority firms and having this certification gives them assurances that when they say they’re doing business with a minority or women owned firm, that they are legitimately doing business with those types of firms," said Marronde Lumpkin-Lotson, City of Savannah Office of Business Opportunity Manager.

Lumpkin-Lotson says the city is reintroducing the program after it was discontinued at the end of 2017.

She says at the time, city leadership thought the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program would better serve the city’s needs.

"Our newly elected leadership wanted to bring that back, saw its importance and we said it’s very easy to do. We still have quite a few firms that are asking us about that certification and why not bring it back, particularly in this time? So we looked at it and studied it and agreed it’s time.”

As Georgia and other states around the country reopen, she says they want to recycle city contracting dollars within Savannah’s economy.

“Offering this opportunity along with bringing back the certification ensures that when the city says we’re doing business with Savannah first we are doing business with Savannah first.”

Certification and renewal affidavit applications are available now.

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