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Minority, Women Owned, Emerging Small Business and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (MWESB SDVBE) Requirements and Reports

OHCS requires sponsors to seek Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) and non-COBID MWESB professional firms to increase the participation level of minority-owned businesses in its construction project. OHCS also encourages the use of local labor and partnering with the community to help build healthy, affordable homes, which addresses OHCS's goal of increasing apprenticeship programs in Oregon and improving economic and social vitality.

The general contractor and developer may use and include non-COBID Black, indigenous, and People of Color and other qualifying firms. The non-COBID firms can self-certify as a qualified MWESB firm if they meet the COBID firm requirements and are encouraged to complete their certification with the COBID office by the end of construction.

Use the MWESB data dashboard to learn more about developments using MWESB firms.

MWESB regions

See a map of the five MWESB regions

Trade Organizations

Find trade organizations in your region that can help connect you to MWESB resources

Contractors

Find general and subcontractors in your region

Why MWESB/SDVBE?

Oregon Housing & Community Services (OHCS) is committed to advance diversity within its work by incentivizing affordable housing developers to contract with MWESB and SDVBE businesses or historically underutilized businesses. 

What is COBID Certification? 

Regulated by Business Oregon, COBID certifies MWESB SVDBE business owners interested in contracting with state, county, and city government agencies. The primary goal of certification is to level the playing field by providing certified firms a fair opportunity to compete for government contracts regardless of owner ethnicity, gender, disability, or firm size.

Download the fact sheet

Below you will find reports required on all OHCS-funded projects related to MWESB SDVBE criteria.

​​MWESB Compliance Manual​​ 

  • This manual addresses the marketing and outreach requirements of OHCS-financed developments​
  • Provide a copy of MWESB Compliance Manual to General Contractor and have them sign acknowledgement form as well as sponsor.
Regional MWESB requirements are: 
  • Region 1 Metro Oregon: 30%
  • Region 2-5 Rural Oregon: 20% 

 MWESB overview and training with Q&A

Reporting around MWESB-SDVBE use is a critical component of our agency work to center equity and racial justice in our funding efforts.  Projects that are under construction should upload all MWESB-SDVBE reports to Procorem Project Development Work Center. In that work center, you will find a folder labeled “MWESB Reports". We will retrieve and review reports that have been submitted through Procorem and reach out with any questions.  ​

MWESB Equity Reports​ are due as follows:

At finance closing of the project: 

At 50% construction completion: 

At construction completion 

Average MWESB percentages for projects under construction: 

  • ​Region 1: 32%
  • Region 2,3: 22%
  • Region 4,5: 22%

The information on organizations listed above do not constitute an endorsement, or recommendation by OHCS. This information serves as a tool to help housing partners connect with each other and break down barriers to affordable housing development.