Procurement Opportunities

The primary criteria for METRO Small Business certification are company size and net worth of the owner(s). The size limits are determined by the SBA standards and the maximum net worth of the owner(s) is $1.32M.

METRO offers a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Certification for eligible firms. Access the list of SBE certified firms.

METRO also accepts Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certifications from any DBE certifying agency and the 8(a) certification from the Small Business Administration. Learn more about the Texas Unified Certification Program (TUCP) and see the list of DBE certifying agencies in Texas.

METRO Small Business Enterprise Certification is free of charge.

During the solicitation process the following METRO SBE program requirements are in place for primes responding to solicitations with small business goals. To be deemed responsive:

• All certified and non-certified primes must self-perform a minimum of 30% of the contract value, regardless of the small business participation goal percentage.
• A certified or non-certified prime cannot self-perform 100% of their bid/proposal value.
• All certified and non-certified primes must, at a minimum, meet the small business participation goal percentage.
• All certified primes must subcontract, at a minimum, 50% of the small business participation goal to one or more certified firms.

The METRO SBE Program does not accept Good Faith Effort (GFE) response. Only the participation of METRO SBE certification and DBE certifications (which include SBA-8a) count towards the small business goal.

After the award of a contract, the prime must (but not limited to):

• Adhere to all compliance requirements of the METRO Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs
• Get pre-approval from the Office of Economic Business Opportunity (OEBO) prior to removing or adding certified and non-certified subcontractors to the team
• Must utilize the current SBE/DBE compliance tracking and reporting system, B2Gnow
• Replace the removal of a certified firm with another certified firm (determined on a case-by-case basis)
• Involve OEBO in the dispute resolution process on SB-related matters
• Adhere to the Prompt Payment Policy on contracts with small business goals: prime must make payments to subcontractors within five business days of receipt of funds from METRO
• Receive payment from METRO within 15 days of issuance of a properly prepared invoice
• Meet their Small Business Goal Commitment or risk a negative OEBO evaluation on a new solicitation

The OEBO Contract Compliance staff monitor all SBE and DBE activity on all METRO contracts with small business goals and ensures compliance with all local and federal regulations.

If you need assistance in regards to Small Business Contract Compliance, please contact Felicia Davis, OEBO Compliance Manager, at 713-739-4604 or email Felicia.Davis@ridemetro.org.

Access our compliance system to search, renew, or apply to join our database of certified vendors.

Detailed instructions for responding to a solicitation are included in the solicitation document(s). To facilitate the process, METRO recommends the following:

1. Register as a vendor for automatic e-mail notifications of new solicitations and updates that are aligned with your company’s services.
2. Check the METRO website for upcoming procurement opportunities.
3. Attend the METRO pre-bid / pre-proposal conferences.

For additional procurement information, email us at procurement@ridemetro.org.

The METRO SBE Business Assessment collects critical information to help craft the best recommendation on how your firm can effectively compete in the procurement process. This assessment is done via one-on-one sessions and the utilization of the METRO Online SBE Business Assessment Tool.

Yes. Through our business networking forums, you can get tips on doing business with METRO and connecting with decision-makers.

Yes. To inquire about METRO’s Fast Track SBE certification, email Keandra.Brooks@RideMETRO.org.

With the goal of maximizing opportunities with the business community, METRO is seeking to build certified small business capacity for the following types of work:

• Rail construction
  • Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS)
  • Traction Power Substations (TPS)
  • Concrete pouring for platform construction
  • Laying track
  • Rail ties
• Bridge construction
• Boring and tunneling
• Major IT equipment (authorized supplier)
• IT (SAP certification and modules)
• Private utilities
• Street sweeping (with water and vacuum option)
• Sound walls
• Specialized trucks (waste removal, fuel tank cleaning, etc.)
• Fuel transportation
• Underground fuel storage tanks
• Personal property claims (non-real estate property)
• Bus wrapping
• Solar energy provider/installer