Buy County Surplus on line at:

http://www.govdeals.com

Union County does not have a certification program for minority vendors/contractors. The following listing of minority or woman-owned businesses is based on information received from the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses and other local governments. If your company's name does not appear on this listing and it qualifies as a minority or woman-owned business, complete the vendor application and fax to 704-283-3689.

• Union County Outreach Plan and Guidelines
• Minority Forms

These files are PDF's and required Adobe Acrobat Reader. To obtain your free copy. click here

LINKS OF INTEREST

• Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses
• Small Business Administration
• Small Business Center Network
• Union County Chamber of Commerce
• NCDOT DBE Certification

MINORITY AND SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION OUTREACH PLAN

1. Work with minority-focused and small business groups that support MBE and small business inclusion in the solicitation of bids.  These groups include the Small Business Center Network (SBCN) (Anson & Union Counties), The Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), and The Union County Chamber of Commerce.
2. Place more emphasis on the importance of soliciting certified MBE firms and small businesses for subcontracting opportunities at pre-bid conferences and in the bid documents.  Examine specifications to identify special subcontracting opportunities and strongly encourage prime contractors to solicit bids for subcontracts from MBE firms.
3. Provide detailed information to majority contractors concerning the Guidelines for Recruitment and Selection of Minority Business and Outreach Plan and provide information on G.S. 143-129 by holding meetings with the contractors.
4. Assess the effectiveness of the MBE Program, and identify opportunities to enhance it, by evaluating MBE participation and compliance and reviewing the “good faith efforts” provided in bid packages.  
5. Identify subcontracting opportunities unique to each construction contract and project and concentrate heavily on targeting certified MBE firms and small businesses that have expressed an interest in Union County projects.  Identify these opportunities and contact interested businesses no later than 10 days prior to the bid opening and provide a list of prime contractors plan to participate in the project.
6. Build new business relationships through networking and continue networking with other North Carolina cities and counties to find out how their Outreach Program and MBE program is working and sharing “best practices” and ideas to improve the program.
7. Participate in education opportunities throughout the community as they become available and offer training sessions to share the County’s Outreach Plan with interested businesses and organizations.

8. Be visible through participation in trade shows and business organizations of interest to MBE firms, majority contractors and small businesses, and provide information to the general public about the MBE Program, and continue outreach efforts to the business community.

9. Enhance the County’s web page by including the Outreach Plan and Guidelines, listing good faith efforts, and creating links to MBE resources, and creating awareness of specific subcontracting opportunities.
10. Make available to minority-focused agencies, a list of subcontracting opportunities when they are identified, no later than 10 days prior to the bid opening, and a list of prime bidders that subcontractors may wish to contact for subcontracting consideration.
11. Direct MBE firms to the Statewide certification program, this database is specifically for MBE firms to ensure those firms wishing to do business with Union County or any other public entity have access to up to date information.
12. Advertise upcoming bid opportunities in minority-focused media and on the county website at www.co.union.nc.us.
13. Work with architects and engineers to make subcontracting opportunities more noticeable and more easily understood by potential contractors and subcontractors.
14. Document telephone calls, emails and correspondence with or on behalf of DBEs and encourage interested eligible firms to become NCDOT certified.