EPA Grants

Spend with Minority and Women Business Enterprises

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Cooperative Agreements incorporate fair share goals for purchasing from disadvantaged businesses, including small businesses and women-owned and minority-owned business enterprises (40 CFR Part 30, 31, 33 and 40).  These goals are described as percentages in the Administrative Conditions section of  the agreement signed by the University and EPA. See sample extract below.

Note: EPA grants do not require the development of a Small Business Subcontracting Plan.  

Effective February 5, 2015, the EPA REPORTNG PROVISION changed the threshold for annual MBE/WBE reportiing to $150,000, when certain types of budgeted procurement exceed this amount. Therefore, reports will only be filed each October for awards greater than the $150,000 threshold.  If the total dollar amount for an agreement increases to more than $150,000, an annual report will be required. See provision text below.

REPORTING PROVISION extracted from full text

"MBE/WBE reporting is required annually for assistance agreements where there are funds budgeted for procuring construction, equipment, services  and supplies, including funds budgeted for direct procurement by the recipient or procurement under subawards or loans in the “Other” category, that exceed the threshold amount of $150,000, including amendments and/or modifications.

Based on EPA’s review of the planned budget, this award does not meet the condition above and is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. However, if during the performance of the award the total of all funds expended for direct procurement by the recipient and procurement under subawards or loans in the “Other” category exceeds $150,000, annual reports will be required in accordance with the reporting paragraph below and you are required to notify your grant specialist for additional instructions.

The recipient also agrees to request prior approval from EPA for procurements that may activate DBE Program reporting requirements. 

This provision represents an approved deviation from the MBE/WBE reporting requirements as described in 40 CFR, Part 33, Section 33.502; however, the other requirements outlined in 40 CFR Part 33 remain in effect, including the Good Faith Efforts requirements as described in 40 CFR Part 33 Subpart C and Fair Share Objectives negotiation as described in 40 CFR Part 33 Subpart D..."

Please note:

  • The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for making progress toward and tracking small and minority business utilization.
  • PIs and their support staff can search for appropriate vendors by using:
  • When MBE/WBE reporting is required, an annual disadvantaged utilization report (5700--2a Form) must be filed with the EPA by October 30 of each year for the period of October 1 of the prior year to September 30 of the current year.