I really think I have held my tongue long enough.
Today I opened an online bid document that was exactly, to a tee, what my marketing and communication company does. So, I am excited about the opportunity and open the documents. Scanning page after page of legalize I finally come the meat of the bid.
STOP IT RIGHT THERE. Sorry Mister Business Owner, you are not welcome to compete. In bold print there it was…Total MWBE Participation 100%. Meaning that this bid opportunity was only open to Minority and Women Owned Businesses.
I have always had a bit of a hard time swallowing the 15 to 30% set asides that many of the government contracts include, but tolerated it figuring that giving those certified businesses an edge was understandable on some level. Now, seeing that I and my company are barred from competing is beyond the pale.
Handicapping is a process that is supposed to create equality. In golf the poorer golfer get bonus strokes against his actual score to make match competitive for golfers of different abilities. This I understand. It is giving the inferior golfer a sporting chance to win. However, business is not golf and especially when we are talking about success, revenue, profitability for companies. It is not the business of government to rig the handicapping system of MWBE set asides.
Is there a reason that my employees, vendors, business partners are not allowed to at least compete?
I know that even if the playing field was level we would not win every government or municipal bid. But gee whiz at least give us a chance. Small businesses that are not MWBE certified are more and more at a severe disadvantage when it comes to government or municipal contracts.
Is this a conversation that no one wants to have for fear of acquiring some negative label and be criticized for being phobic something or other?
MWBE certification and the set asides were probably founded in good intentions many years ago but it is now creating a lopsided playing field where all businesses cannot compete equally.
Government is picking winners and if you are not in the realm of the favored the hill is very high to climb and that is just not fair.
In anticipation of opening this complex issue, I am available for a civil dialogue on the issue. Ranters need not apply. greg@lgcli.com