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The Locally-Based Enterprise (LBE) Certification Program works to ensure that firms, regardless of the gender or ethnicity of the owner, doing business in economically deprived areas of the City or employing economically disadvantaged persons, receive no less than 10% of subcontracting opportunities on construction and construction-related contracts directly awarded by the City to contractors.
Certified businesses obtain greater access to, and information about, contracting opportunities through classes, networking events, and targeted solicitations. They receive technical assistance to better compete for contracts and benefit from inclusion in the City's ONLINE DIRECTORY OF CERTIFIED BUSINESSES. The directory promotes LBE businesses to purchasers.
To be eligible for LBE Certification, a business must be:
- A Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation. Not-for-Profits are ineligible.
- Authorized to do business in New York State.
- Performing at least 25% of its work in an economically depressed area in New York City, or employ a workforce of which at least 25% are economically disadvantaged persons.
- Earning annual gross receipts of less than $2 million for all construction and construction -related work within the last three years. If the business has been in operation for less than three years, average gross receipts for all years in which taxes were filed must be less than $2 million.
- Selling products or services for a period of at least one year prior to the date of application.
Note: If a business is LBE certified with the NYC Department of Small Business Services' partner organization, New York City School Construction Authority, the business may be eligible to submit a Fast Track Application. Businesses that have previously applied for LBE Certification or are currently under review with the City of New York are not eligible for a Fast Track Application. Before beginning this application, businesses should contact the organization with which they are certified with to find out whether they qualify for a Fast Track Application.