County reconsiders MWBE goal for Whitehaven Clinic construction project

In a special called meeting on May 6, 2025, the Shelby County MWBE Goal Setting Committee addressed critical adjustments to the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) goals for the construction of the Whitehaven Clinic. The committee's discussions centered on the need to correct an earlier decision that set the MWBE participation goal at 27.6%, which was deemed inaccurate due to the inclusion of a line item with insufficient MWBE vendors.

During the meeting, committee members highlighted that the original goal was calculated using a specialty item that only had two Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and no Women-Owned Businesses (WBEs) among the nine firms considered. This lack of representation violated the requirement for establishing a goal, which necessitates at least three vendors. As a result, the committee sought to amend the goal to a more appropriate 26%, reflecting the exclusion of the problematic line item.

The motion to reconsider the goal was introduced by Dr. Hall and seconded by Administrator Gloucester. After thorough discussion, the committee voted to approve the new goal, which also adjusted the project’s budget from $4,105,177 to $3,911,178. This change was necessary to ensure that the MWBE goal accurately represented the available vendors and maintained compliance with established guidelines.

The committee's decision underscores the importance of accurate goal-setting in public projects, particularly in fostering equitable opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. By addressing the discrepancies in the previous approval, the committee aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the allocation of public contracts.

As the meeting concluded, the committee moved on to discuss new projects, indicating ongoing efforts to support MWBE participation in future initiatives. The adjustments made during this meeting reflect a commitment to ensuring that all stakeholders have fair access to opportunities within Shelby County's development projects.