The School District has begun to establish participation goals for businesses that are certified by the State of Ohio through its Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (or “EDGE”) program. An EDGE business is generally one that the State has determined to be both socially and economically disadvantaged.

The District will take the following action steps to maximize EDGE participation:

• We will hold Matchmaker “Outreach” Events during the early stages of design development.
  • These sessions will be conducted to inform subcontractors or suppliers about project opportunities.
  • Information provided typically includes project scope, project bid packages, timeline and other project requirements (EDGE certification, drug free work place, OSHA etc.)
  • It is also an opportunity for subcontractors to meet and begin dialogue about project opportunities relative to specific bid packages.
  • We will make every effort to unbundle bid packages to the maximum possible extent. This will help to facilitate opportunities for EDGE firms to bid as first-tier subcontractors.
  • We will hold one-on-one meetings with EDGE firms to determine capacity and possible best fit scenarios for their involvement in the project.
  • We will facilitate the establishment of Mentor/Protégé relationships between the CMR and EDGE firms, or between first and second tier subcontractors.
  • We will conduct training for EDGE firms about the specific requirements for this project