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Office of Economic Inclusion reports $26.8 million in small-business commitments through July; program uncertainty noted
Summary
Milwaukee County’s Office of Economic Inclusion reported roughly $26.8 million in contracting commitments to certified disadvantaged and targeted business enterprises in the first seven months of 2025, highlighted distribution by business type and said legal challenges to DBE/TBE programs nationwide create uncertainty.
The Office of Economic Inclusion presented a report showing roughly $26.8 million in committed contract dollars to certified disadvantaged and targeted business enterprises (DBE/TBE) in the first seven months of 2025.
Director Lamont Robinson said June contract awards totaled about $10.6 million with roughly $1.0 million committed to DBE/TBE firms (approximately 28.95% of June-eligible dollars), while July saw a spike of roughly $73.5 million in total contracts with about $10.9 million committed to DBE/TBE firms (about 15.8% of eligible dollars). Robinson provided a roll-up for the first seven months showing distribution across firm ownerships: Asian-owned, Black-owned, Hispanic-owned, Native American-owned, women-owned and other small businesses.
Robinson also flagged national legal uncertainty: multiple lawsuits and pending rulings across the country could affect DBE programs and similar contracting programs. He said the office intends to monitor developments and continue to seek opportunities for local small businesses to participate in county contracts.
Supervisors thanked staff for the breakdowns and asked for more analysis on participation trends and the drivers behind shifts among different ownership groups; staff said they would follow up with deeper analysis.
