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Durham Minority Enterprise Development Week – 2021 Awards Nominations

OVERVIEW

The City of Durham and Durham County Government in conjunction with public and private partners are planning Durham’s MED Week celebration as part of a national celebration to acknowledge the contributions of the minority and women business community.  It is an important time to recognize the economic strength and accomplishments of minority and women firms.  During the Durham MED Week Honors Ceremony on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, we will honor the excellence of minority and women entrepreneurs in the following categories:

In addition to recognizing firms within the M/WBE community, awards will be given to recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals that have helped support and encourage the economic development of the minority business community:

Complete electronic or paper nominations must be received by the City of Durham no later than Friday, September 10, 2021.  All awards will be presented at the Honors Ceremony on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 from 10:00am-12:00 noon virtually.If you have any questions regarding the Durham MED Week Honors Ceremony, please contact Deborah Giles at (919) 560-4180, ext. 17243 or by email at Deborah.Giles@durhamnc.gov.

DATES TO REMEMBER:September 10 …………Deadline for Awards Nominations by 5pmOctober 5………..Durham MED Week Honors Ceremony

Eligibility Criteria

Nominations for businesses must be for-profit firms whose ownership and control meet the standards of a small, underutilized business as outlined by the City of Durham, the N.C. HUB Office and the Department of Transportation.  As such, at least 51% of the business is owned (or in the case of a corporation, at least 51% of the stock is owned) and (2) The management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more persons who are members of at least one of the following categories:  Black, (2) Hispanic, (3) Asian American, (4) American Indian or (5) White Female or other ethnic female who identifies as white.Nominations will be accepted from all areas of the State with emphasis given to firms who have performed successfully on City or County of Durham projects and/or are based in the Durham marketplace (Durham, Orange, Person, Chatham, Franklin, Vance, Warren, Granville, Lee, Harnett, Wake, Johnston, Alamance, Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin Counties).Diversity Advocate of the Year Award nominees may include but are not limited to business owners and executives, nonprofit organizations, for profit firms and institutions, universities and colleges, and representatives of local and state governments who have demonstrated strong support for diversity in contracting with minority and women businesses. Awards are open to qualified nominees without regard to ethnicity.

Selection Process

All submission material remains the property of the Selection Committee.

  1. Award winners will be selected by the Selection Committee, taking into consideration the evaluation criteria of each category. The Committee may also take into consideration such other factors as the overall diversity of the nominee pool.  The Selection Committee reserves the right to forgo making an award selection in any category. The Selection Committee may choose one award winner in each category or may opt to make more than one award in a category.

 

Award Categories

M/WBE Outstanding Achievement Award in ConstructionPresented to an M/WBE firm that has achieved outstanding success in the construction sector (general contractor, subcontractor in all construction trades), particularly on City or County of Durham projects.M/WBE Outstanding Achievement Award in Professional Services – Presented to an M/WBE firm that has achieved outstanding success in the professional services sector(architecture, engineering and surveying), particularly on City or County of Durham projects.M/WBE Outstanding Achievement Award in non-professional services (including supplier-vendor services)Presented to an M/WBE firm that has achieved outstanding success in non-professional or supplier vendor services sector(all other services and suppliers), particularly on City or County of Durham projects.Nominees in the above categories may have excelled in the following areas:

Individual Diversity advocate of the year

Presented to the individual that has demonstrated leadership and excellence in promoting the inclusion and/or advancement of minority and/or women-owned businesses, particularly in the City or County of Durham.  Nominees may have excelled in the following areas:

Agency Diversity advocate of the year

Presented to the agency, large business or corporation or institution that has demonstrated leadership and excellence in promoting the inclusion and/or advancement of minority and/or women-owned businesses.  Nominees may have excelled in the following areas:

Deadline for Nominations: Friday, September 10, 2021 at 5pm!Email the information below to Deborah.Giles@durhamnc.gov

Durham MED Week

2021 Award Nomination Form

Award Category:

  1. Nominee Information:  M/WBE Outstanding Achievement Award in Construction

Name:                                                                        Title:
Company:
Physical Address:                                                        Telephone:
Email Address:
Web Address (if available):
Brief Description of Business/Biography of the Nominee: (100 words max.)
If the nomination is of a business, is the business certified by a third party certifying agency?
___yes     ___noIf “yes”, please specify:If not, is the business 51% owned and controlled by a Minority or Woman?
___ yes    ___ no 

  1. Nominator Information

Name:Title:Company (if applicable):Physical Address:Telephone:Email Address: Please provide a detailed narrative that describes how the nominee meets the attached evaluation criteria for the category you are nominating. You may also include other materials (e.g.  newspaper articles) that further substantiate why the nominee should be selected.  (250 words max.)

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