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CITY OF SOUTH BEND'S GUIDELINES FOR GOOD FAITH EFFORTS <br />BY CONTRACTORS IN MEETING MWBE- CONTRACT GOALS <br />Under the City of South Bend's Minority and Women's Business Enterprise (MWBE) Inclusions Program Plan (CCSB <br />Inclusion Plan), the City of South Bend (the City) Is authorized to set 'contract specific' goals to increase MWBE <br />participation in City contracts and procurements. <br />MWBE participation goals are set based on availability of MW9B contractors within the City's geographic market <br />area identified in the City's Disparity Study, <br />For contractors bidding on a construction, services, supplies or equipment contract where goals have been set for <br />all or parts of the project, below is Information relevant to `good faith efforts' to meet the contract goal. <br />When the City sets a contract goal, that means MWBE's are in fact available to perform work on the contract. <br />Project bidders must try diligently to most the goal. Failure to make a good faith effort may result In <br />rejection of your bid as non -responsive to the contract. <br />Good faith eff>ds means actions undertaken by a contractor to achieve a contract goal which, by their scope, <br />intensity, and appropriateness to the objective, can be reasonably expected to fulfill the Program's goals (City's <br />Inclusion Plan, Section 4.B., No. 21). <br />A good faith effort is fully reviewable by the City. Where a contract goal is not met, contractors must provide <br />as much Information as possible to help the City assess the contractor's good faith efforts to achieve the <br />goal. Inadequate proof of good faith offorts may result In a finding that the contractor was non-respons[ve, <br />causing Its bid to be rejected even if it Is the lowest, <br />Good faith efforts require act]ve, aggressive efforts by the prime contractor to obtain the contract MWBE <br />participation goal. Mere pro forma efforts are not good faith efforts. To satisfy the good faith efforts test: <br />A prime contractor may not reject a MWBE's bid solely because it is not the lowest bid received from <br />sutwntractom. If the MWBE's costs are reasonable and not excessIve, the MW13E's quote or bid <br />presumptively should be accepted on a contract requiring goals even if the MWBE's bid is not the <br />lowest one received. However, if an MWBE's bid or quote is unreasonable or excessive, the prime <br />contractor may reject the bid on that basis. The contractor has the burden of demonstrating the <br />excessiveness or unreasonableness of the MWBE's bid or quote. Because the City must determine <br />whether a MWBE quote was unreasonable or excessive, Contractors must provide the City with <br />copies of each MWBE and non MWBE quote submitted to the bidder when a non-MW13E was <br />selected over an MWBE. <br />• A contractor may not reject a MWBE as being unqualified without sound reasons based on a thorough <br />Investigation of the MWBE's capabilities. If a prime contractor rejects a MWBE as unqualified, the <br />Contracior must provide the City with good reasons for this. The MWBE's Industry standing or <br />membership in a specific group, organization, polltical or social affiliation (example: union v. non -union) <br />Is not a basis to reject the MWBE for lack of qualifications. <br />Verson 1132025 Page- 113 Public Works Quote <br />