Small Business Development

What We Do

The Miami-Dade County, Department of Small Business Development (SBD) works to increase the participation of small businesses on County contracts. The department coordinates and implements various small business programs to provide business opportunities and technical assistance to aid these firms in their growth and contribution to South Florida’s economy.

To execute the small business programs, SBD:

• Reviews proposed County purchases, construction, architectural and engineering projects to determine if small business participation measures are to be applied
• Monitors contracts for compliance with approved small business participation measures
• Administers Mentor Protégé program which seeks to pair emerging certified CSBEs (Protégés) with similar more experienced and successful firms (Mentors) in order to provide the Protégé with business advice, assistance and training
• Administers the Management and Technical Assistance Program designed to develop and enhance the quality, competitiveness and sustainability of small business enterprises by providing resource assistance, contractual issue resolution assistance on County contracts and assistance with prompt payment issues
• Administers The Surety Bond Program by assisting firms in obtaining surety bonds through relationships with local surety bond producers and the Small Business Administration Bond Guarantee Program
• Administers the Financial Assistance Programs to include A Small Business Contract Lending Program in which CSBEs and SBEs with Miami-Dade County contracts may be eligible to receive short term working capital loans against these contracts and the Accounting Services Reimbursement Program  in which Certified firms may be eligible to receive reimbursement for accounting or business plan services for up to $1,000      

Other programs administered by SBD included:

• Monitoring contracts for compliance with responsible and/or living wages
• Manages  the County’s  Community Workforce Program (CWP), which requires contractors and subcontractors, contracting with Miami-Dade County to hire a minimum of 10% of their labor force from Designated Target Areas (DTAs) in which the Capital Construction Project is located by reviewing construction contracts to determine if workforce goals are to be applied
• Manages the County’s Job Clearinghouse, which requires contractors involved in the construction of improvements on County property must post a notice of job opportunities with the Miami-Dade County Job Clearinghouse.
• Administers the County’s Wage Theft Program, which strives to eliminate and prevent wage theft by private sector employers.