Ronda Barber

The December 17 OhioMBE Bid Board is Now Available!

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Hello OBDC Community,

We’re excited to share the latest edition of the OhioMBE Bid Board, a valuable resource for small and minority-owned businesses across Ohio. Here’s what’s featured in this issue:

Contracting Opportunities:

  • Columbus Airports
  • Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)
  • Franklin County

Support OBDC Programming:

As the year comes to a close, we’re asking for your support to help us continue offering impactful programming to small businesses. Your contributions enable us to provide critical resources, educational programs, and opportunities to help entrepreneurs thrive. Every contribution counts—join us in making a difference!

OhioMBE Shopping Challenge:

We’re challenging you to spend at least $50 with Black-owned businesses this holiday season! 🎁 Supporting local entrepreneurs strengthens our community and helps businesses grow. Need ideas? Check out the OhioMBE Holiday Gift Guide for inspiration.

Read the Bid Board: Read the December 17 OhioMBE Bid Board

Thank you for being part of a community that believes in empowering small businesses. Together, we’re building a stronger future.

Best regards,
Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC)

We’ve Been Here for You—Now We Need Your Help

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At the Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC), we’ve been proud to stand by you as you’ve worked to grow your business. Through our free and low-cost classes, certification guidance, and access to a vast network of resources, we’ve been here to help Black-owned businesses overcome challenges and succeed.

But now, we need your help.

Providing these vital services takes time, energy, and resources. To continue supporting Black-owned businesses like yours, we need funding. Unfortunately, not one client we’ve assisted made a donation during our Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday campaigns to keep these programs running.

This isn’t just about us—it’s about ensuring that the tools and resources Black entrepreneurs need to thrive remain available. Without community support, these programs may not be here for the next business owner who needs them.

What’s at Stake?

Without funding, programs like ours are at risk of being reduced or eliminated entirely. That means:

  • Fewer Workshops and Training Sessions: The free and low-cost classes that help entrepreneurs build their skills may no longer be available.
  • Loss of Certification Assistance: Businesses navigating the certification process could lose access to expert guidance.
  • A Disrupted Resource Network: The connections we’ve built to link businesses to funding, contracts, and other opportunities could disappear.
  • Reduced Advocacy: Our ability to fight for supplier diversity and equity programs will be significantly weakened.

The absence of these services would create barriers that Black-owned businesses can’t afford.

How You Can Help

We’re asking for a small donation to keep these essential programs alive. Even a little can go a long way in helping us continue to support entrepreneurs and small businesses like yours.

Your contribution helps us:

  • Host more workshops and training sessions.
  • Assist more businesses with certifications.
  • Maintain and grow our resource network.
  • Advocate for supplier diversity and equitable business practices.

Please visit givebutter.com/OBDC to make your donation today.

Advocacy is a Two-Way Street

We’ve shown up for you—now we need you to show up for us. Together, we can build a stronger, more equitable future for Black-owned businesses.

Don’t let these vital resources disappear. Donate today and invest in the future of Black entrepreneurship.

Make Your Contribution Now: givebutter.com/OBDC

Thank you for your support,
The Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC)

Add Cheer to Your Holiday Party with Snapback Photo Booth – Special Holiday Pricing!

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The holiday season is here, and there’s no better way to capture the fun and festivity than with Snapback Photo Booth! Whether you’re hosting a family gathering, an office party, or a community event, our photobooth will be the highlight of the night.

📸 Holiday Special: $199 for 3 hours of digital photos!

With Snapback Photo Booth, you’ll enjoy:

  • Unlimited digital photos to share with family and friends.
  • Fun props and festive backdrops to match the holiday spirit.
  • Instant social sharing options to spread the cheer.

Plus, every booking supports the Ohio Business Development Center and its mission to empower small businesses in our community.

📅 Don’t wait! Dates are filling up fast. Call us at 1-866-721-2122 to book your photobooth today and make your holiday gathering one to remember!

#SnapbackPhotos #HolidayCheer #PhotoBoothFun #HolidayPartyPlanning

Solicitation for Quotes from CRAA: Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle

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The Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) is soliciting quotes for an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle .Interested vendors should visit columbusairports.diversitycompliance.com to view active solicitation opportunities, access results, and register as a vendor with CRAA. Don’t miss this opportunity! Submit your quote today. For questions or additional information, visit the website above.

#OhioMBE #CRAA #BidOpportunities #MinorityBusiness

Robertson Construction seeks subs/suppliers for Granville WWTP project

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Robertson Construction is seeking subcontractors and suppliers interested in bidding on the Village of Granville, Ohio Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements project. This project is a Davis Bacon Prevailing Wage and tax-exempt project with an MBE/DBE participation goal.

Project Overview:

  • Project Name: Granville Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements
  • Location: Granville, Ohio
  • Project Number: E-8347
  • Bid Submission Deadline: Monday, December 9th by 11am.

We are inviting qualified firms to submit pricing and participate in this exciting opportunity. If you are a certified MBE/DBE firm, we strongly encourage your participation to help us meet the project’s MBE/DBE goal.

For more details on the project, please view the full plans and documents at the following link:  E-8347 Village of Granville – Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to skelly@robertsonconstruction.net.

The December 1 OhioMBE Bid Board is Now Live!

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The December 1 edition of the OhioMBE Bid Board is here, filled with valuable contracting opportunities, event updates, and resources to help your business thrive. Don’t miss out on this issue’s highlights!

Featured Contracting Opportunities:

  • Columbus City Schools
  • Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)
  • Franklin County

Event Updates:

  • Women in Construction Industry Lunch: Catch the latest update on this empowering event that brings women in the construction industry together to network, learn, and grow.
  • November OhioMBE Procurement Fair Recap: The fair was a great success! Learn about the connections made and opportunities shared during this impactful event.

Stay Connected:

Follow us online for more updates, opportunities, and resources:
📸 Instagram: @OhioMBEonIG
📘 Facebook: OhioMBE

Read the Latest Issue: Read the December 1 OhioMBE Bid Board

Please share this issue with other business owners who could benefit from these opportunities and resources!

📢 Important Notice from OBDC

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This Thanksgiving season, we are reflecting on the incredible support of our community and the privilege of helping small businesses grow and thrive. Thank you for being part of our mission!

Ways You Can Support OBDC:
💻 Donate: Your contributions directly impact our programs. Visit givebutter.com/OBDC.
🥕 Kroger Rewards: Link your Kroger account to OBDC and support us with every grocery purchase.
🛒 Amazon Smile: Shop at smile.amazon.com and choose Ohio Business Development Center as your charity.
📲 Follow Us: Stay connected and help spread the word!

Your support makes a difference. Together, we’re empowering small businesses and strengthening our community! 💪

#OBDC #SmallBusinessSupport #ThanksgivingGratitude

CMHA issues bid notice for Aspire Columbus Demolition

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INVITATION FOR BIDS
CMHA ASPIRE COLUMBUS DEMOLITION

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will receive bids from qualified contractors for the CMHA Aspire Columbus Demolition, 360 South 3rd Street, Columbus, Ohio. All bids will be publicly opened on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 10:00 am, during a virtual bid opening via Zoom or in-person at 880 E. 11th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, Conference Room 1A.  Please contact Chris Belcastro (cbelcastro@cmhanet.com) to obtain the link at least 12 hours before the bid opening.  Bids for anyone attending the virtual bid opening should be mailed or dropped off at 880 E. 11th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, before 10:00 am on January 7, 2025, and time stamped. If you plan to drop off your bid, please notify the security officer at the front door of a “BID,” and they will time stamp it. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 10:00 am, at 360 South 3rd Street, Columbus, Ohio.  Contract Documents may be viewed and downloaded at https://cmhanet.com/Business/ConstructionContracts starting Monday, November 25, 2024.  Bidders must agree to comply with the Davis-Bacon Labor Standards of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and Section 3 of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended. Bidders are asked to assist CMHA in meeting their Minority Business Enterprise goal of 20% and Section 3 goal of 10%. A 5% bid bond must be submitted with the bid.

CMHA issues bid notice for Maplewood Heights and Sugar Grove Square Renovation

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INVITATION FOR BIDS – MAPLEWOOD HEIGHTS AND SUGAR GROVE SQUARE RENOVATION

The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will receive bids from qualified contractors for the Renovation at Maplewood Heights, 91 Maplewood Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, and Sugar Grove Square, 530 S. State Street #114W, Westerville, Ohio. All bids will be publicly opened on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 11:00 am, during a virtual bid opening via Zoom or in-person at 880 E. 11th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, Conference Room 1A.  Please contact Chris Belcastro (cbelcastro@cmhanet.com) to obtain the link at least 12 hours before the bid opening.  Bids for anyone attending the virtual bid opening should be mailed or dropped off at 880 E. 11th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, before 11:00 am on January 7, 2025, and time stamped. If you plan to drop off your bid, please notify the security officer at the front door of a “BID,” and they will time stamp it. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 11:00 am, at 530 S. State Street #114W, Westerville, Ohio.  Contract Documents may be viewed at https://cmhanet.com/Business/ConstructionContracts. Bidders may also obtain Contract Documents from DC Alpha Graphics, 1254 Courtland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43201, or at www.dcplanroom.com; Phone: 614-297-1200; Fax: 614-297-1300, starting Monday,  November 25, 2024, upon receipt of a refundable company check or money order for $50.00, payable to CMHA. Bidders must agree to comply with the Davis-Bacon Labor Standards of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and Section 3 of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended. Bidders are asked to assist CMHA in meeting their Minority Business Enterprise goal of 20% and Section 3 goal of 10%. A 5% bid bond must be submitted with the bid.