It is the policy of the City of Dayton to promote full and equal business opportunities to all persons doing business with the City. The City must ensure that businesses seeking to participate in contracting and procurement activities with the City are not prevented from doing so on the basis of the race or gender of their owners. The City is committed to ensuring that it is not a passive participant in any form of discrimination. This policy applies to all expenditures of City funds, irrespective of source. This policy will also apply to all private-sector economic development projects, where feasible, in which City public funds and/or tax incentives are utilized, in part or in total. (See City of Dayton Revised Code of General Ordinances Sec. 35.32 “Declaration of policy”)
The Procurement Enhancement Plan (PEP) Program establishes aspirational goals to overcome barriers identified in the Disparity Study (“A Third-Generation Disparity Study for the City of Dayton, Ohio” final report dated November 6, 2019) for minority-owned, woman-owned, small, and local companies. These goals serve to enhance the percentage of minority-owned, woman-owned, small, and local companies working with the City over the next 10 years. The program does not set contracting quotas, which have been struck down by federal courts over the past 20 years.
The certification process for new and renewal applications can take up to 90 days from the submission of a completed application. After applications are submitted, our compliance team will contact the PEP applicant within 30 days. Once the compliance team has reviewed the submitted application and supporting documents, we will schedule an on-site interview (at the firm’s principal place of business) with all the firm’s business owners. Within 30 days of the completion of the on-site interview, we will send written notice regarding your certification status.
Cross certification allows firms certified in the Ohio Department of Transportation DBE program, State of Ohio MBE program, or State of Ohio EDGE program, to cross into the City of Dayton’s PEP program. The cross-certification process can take up to 30 days from the submission of a completed application. After applications are submitted, our compliance team will contact the PEP applicant within 10 days. Within 30 days of the submission of a completed cross-certification, we will send written notice regarding your certification status.
The certification application submittal process is completely online. We no longer accept paper applications. Please submit your application here. If you have any questions regarding the submittal process, please call 937-333-1439.
PEP Program Information:
- Ordinance Establishing the PEP Program
- 2020 PEP Program Ordinance
- Third Generation Disparity Study
- HRC Certification Fact Sheet
- PEP Certification Application
- NIGP CODE REQUEST FORM
- Vendor Application, W9 Form, and EEO Statement
- Affirmative Action Assurance (AAA) Form: The AAA form must be completed electronically via the City’s online vendor portal, CityBOTS. New vendors will receive a CityBOTS login after their Vendor Application is processed. Learn more about the AAA application process here.
- Bid Opportunities
- Vendor Application Commodity List
PEP Program YouTube Tutorials: