Business Development and Diversity

The City of Denver’s Office of Economic Development Runs the Division of Small Business Opportunity (DSBO)

Helping a larger, more diverse field of businesses compete for government contracts is an important way that we help small businesses grow and increase their revenues. Many small companies do not realize they can, by gaining certification for various qualifying factors, access a much broader world of opportunity.

Qualifying factors include being minority- or woman-owned, or otherwise being a disadvantaged business. In addition to granting certifications and providing outreach and capacity-building for small firms, DSBO sets participation goals for public projects and ensures that contractors are paid promptly.

Mentor Protegé Program

This program is managed by the City’s Division of Small Business Opportunity (DSBO) and supports the City’s commitment to expanding the capacity of minority/women-owned businesses (MWBEs).

In support of that commitment, the Citywide Mentor-Protégé program matches larger firms with MWBEs to assist small firms in developing the necessary skills to scale their businesses and gain educational and networking opportunities directly from participating City departments and agencies.

The Commerce Hub team sets up introductions to various team members in other DEN divisions throughout the season that can assist the teams with their goals. Currently, the focus is on construction, design, engineering and professional service teams.