New Web Site Aims to Make Doing Business with San Diego Easier
Mayor Jerry Sanders today unveiled a new promotional campaign to increase awareness of opportunities for small contractors on city of San Diego public works projects.
“Small businesses form the backbone of San Diego’s economy, and the city is committed to fostering opportunities for local companies,” Sanders said. “So we’re making every effort to break down the barriers that prevent small contractors from bidding on city projects.”
A new Web site launched today, www.SDSmallContracts.com, acts as a portal for small contractors to learn about bids for city projects under $1 million and resources available to remove barriers to doing business with government agencies, including financial and technical assistance with surety bonding. The campaign also aims to help the city achieve its inclusionary contracting goals, as many small contractors are woman- and minority-owned.
Last month, the mayor announced a strategic partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration to help small contractors meet surety bonding requirements necessary on most government projects. The federal agency will guarantee up to 75 percent of the bond on local government contracts and provide other technical and financial assistance.
Over the next several months, a public service announcement will run on City TV channel 24 alerting contractors to more than $18 million worth of small contracts that will go out to bid between now and this spring.