Freight News, People, Sea

Port of Long Beach Aids Small Businesses

[ August 30, 2024   //   Gary G Burrows ]

The Port of Long Beach’s commitment to include more small businesses among its vendors and contractors continues to broaden access to port-related construction and professional services contracts.
Last fiscal year, 41.8 percent of port funds spent on eligible contracts through the Port’s Small Business Enterprise Program went to purchase needed services and materials from companies defined as “small business enterprises” and “very small business enterprises.”
Participation by small and very small businesses in contracting in fiscal year 2023 was the second highest since the program was started in 2004, behind only 48.9 percent in 2022. The amount of applicable spending on construction projects, consulting services, event planning, and other supplies and services, rose year-over-year from US$54.2 million to US$55.7 million. The goal set for small business enterprise participation at the port, which is the Harbor Department of the City of Long Beach, is 27 percent, higher than many peer agencies.
“The SBE program provides opportunities to a wider, more diverse range of local contractors, suppliers and other businesses, which strengthens the local economy,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “As an additional benefit, we believe this practice also increases competition for tens of millions of dollars in public contracts each year, resulting in better outcomes and even more value.”
The thresholds of annual receipts and number of employees for classification as a small business vary widely by industry, as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The very small business eligibility is equivalent to the state of California’s microbusiness designation – businesses with US$5 million or less in annual gross sales, averaged over the last three fiscal years, or manufacturers with 25 or fewer employees.
Aspiring contractors for the port apply for posted contracts on the port’s Planet Bids online system, where business owners can pre-register their companies and check back for posted bids. Go to http://www.polb.com/businessopportunities and click on “Access the POLB Vendor Portal.” The complete SBE utilization report for fiscal year 2023 can be seen at http://www.polb.com/sbe.

Tags: Port of Long Beach