Darrius Wright of Kansas Business Services leading a presentation on EBE certification

3.7.22

Strengthening Local Businesses

Wichita Water Partners – a joint venture between Alberici and Burns & McDonnell – hosted a workshop for emerging businesses to learn how to become EBE certified with the City of Wichita. Fourteen different companies were in attendance.

Darrius Wright of Kansas Business Services, an organization that works with small business leaders to improve their management, training and education, and business development, presented at the event. Wright explained the different certifications available and how business owners can apply for each certification.

These certifications include:

Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE)
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)
Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

*Attendees learned how to certify their business with the City of Wichita on site at Wichita’s Northwest Water Facility.*

The federal government sets aside some of its contracts for small businesses each year to limit competition ensuring some government contracts go to small businesses rather than big corporations.

The City of Wichita’s Emerging and Disadvantaged Business Program has a similar goal. Wright also walked business owners through the City’s certification process.

The event was hosted at Wichita’s Northwest Water Facility – a $500 million state-of-the-art water treatment project led by the design-build joint venture of Alberici and Burns & McDonnell. More than 80 local companies are currently contracted on the project.

Wichita Water Partners is committed to strengthening local emerging and disadvantaged businesses and building the City’s database of registered certified businesses. Follow the project’s progress on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.