The Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has adopted updated rules for the State’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Encouraging Diversity, Growth, and Equity (EDGE) programs, and established rules for the new Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) program.
With respect to the MBE program, the most notable update involves an effort to curtail front companies and pass-through entities that adversely impact legitimate MBE companies. The updated rules will require MBEs to demonstrate a commercially useful function that is actively involved in the performance of a contract. This requirement already exists for EDGE companies, but is now being expanded to MBEs. Read more…