The City of Toledo Office of Affirmative Action/Contract Compliance has developed a comprehensive Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification process to encourage those businesses owned and controlled by Minorities or Women to provide information reinforcing the adequacy of their resources for the work in their designated construction or service areas.

Upon receipt of the completed MBE or WBE application, the Office of Affirmative Action/Contract Compliance will evaluate the information and determine compliance with the MBE or WBE criteria. It is crucial that your application and any attached documentation provide clear and convincing evidence of MBE or WBE ownership and control of your firm.

 Please note: There is no formal appeal process for denied applications.

To ensure a timely review of your application, please read and answer all questions carefully and submit all the required documentation. If something does not apply, please indicate that. Failure to complete portions of the application or send in proper documentation will make the processing time longer.

All materials submitted to The City of Toledo, a public entity, for the purpose of MBE or WBE certification are public records pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, Section 149.23. Any financial statements or financial records submitted with a MBE or WBE certification application shall remain confidential to the extent permitted by law. If MBE or WBE application materials contain any information that the applicant considers to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secrets, the applicant should label the information clearly “Confidential Business Information” and provide a detailed explanation of why the applicant believes the information should be protected. Any false information submitted by applicants will be considered grounds for denial and/or termination of MBE or WBE status immediately and may be punishable by law.

For businesses outside of Ohio, you must be certified within your own State prior to being considered for certification with the City of Toledo. Please include a current valid State certification certificate/letter with your application and documentation.

All required documents should be submitted to:

   City of Toledo
   Office of Affirmative Action/Contract Compliance
   One Government Center, Suite 1900
   Toledo, OH 43604

Should you have any questions, you may call (419) 245-1198 for assistance.   Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you soon.