News Release

Town Announces Program for Small and Minority-owned Disadvantaged Businesses

October 4, 2023

The Town of Hilton Head Island is excited to announce its Small and Minority-owned Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Utilization Program.

This initiative aims to enhance awareness about opportunities for certified small, minority-owned, women-owned, and socially disadvantaged businesses to bid on Town contracts and provide goods and services.

"Small and minority-owned businesses are vital contributors to our community. They enhance our economic prosperity and overall welfare. The Town Council's goal is to foster inclusivity in our procurement process and ensure that these entities are informed about Town contracting opportunities," said Mayor Alan Perry.

The Town's program is designed to identify, support, and promote small and minority-owned disadvantaged businesses within the community. The program offers:

• Greater access to public contracts and various opportunities that allow small and minority-owned disadvantaged businesses to participate in local projects.
• Workshops to inform eligible businesses about the Town's procurement process and guide them through the steps to obtain certification. The first workshop is scheduled for Thursday, October 26, at 6 pm at the Island Recreation Center, 20 Wilborn Road. Rich Groth, the Town’s Procurement Officer, and Johnny Burch, a representative from the SC Division of Small and Minority Business Contracting and Certification, will make presentations.

Participating in the Program

Business owners seeking to participate in the Town’s program should obtain certification from one of the following organizations as a small or minority-owned disadvantaged business:

• South Carolina Division of Small and Minority Business Contracting and Certification 
• South Carolina Department of Transportation
• U.S. Small Business Administration 

Certified small or minority-owned businesses can take advantage of government programs, including increased access to government contracting opportunities, thus facilitating growth, employment, and economic sustainability. In addition to becoming certified, business owners are encouraged to register as a vendor through the Town’s vendor procurement portal. Vendors will be able to upload certification documents when registering.

Future Steps

To ensure it reaches the greatest number of small and minority-owned businesses, the Town will regularly consult directories maintained by state and federal agencies and other organizations to identify and directly solicit certified disadvantaged businesses.

The Town will work with local organizations that support small and minority-owned businesses to identify and provide them with the resources they need to prepare successful bid proposals.

Business owners are encouraged to visit the Town's Procurement webpage for a list of frequently asked questions about this initiative and subscribe to receive electronic notifications for Town solicitations matching their products and services.

For further information or assistance, business owners can explore the Town's bid and proposal opportunities at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/bids.cfm or contact the Town's Procurement Officer, Rich Groth, at RichG@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843-341-4711.