Office of Equity and Inclusion
Through the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is furthering its efforts to promote competition for its business, diversify its relationships, and ensure that all businesses have equal opportunities to participate in doing business with the Commission in an endeavor to achieve their own growth and economic goals.
We stand ready to support businesses in any way possible. Please call (440) 971-2065 or email OEI Contracts Coordinator Stacey Verespe - STACEY.VERESPE@ohioturnpike.org your questions or concerns.
Sheltered Market Opportunities
The Commission has implemented and will maintain Sheltered Market Opportunities to identify a portion of its Contracts for competition exclusively by small and disadvantaged businesses. The sheltered market opportunities are designed to improve opportunities, growth and capacity for SBEs certified by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission to compete at the prime contracting level. Contracts that are sheltered by the Commission shall be Contracts that SBEs are fully capable of performing.
Certification
As part of the Commission’s efforts to diversify its supply chains, the Office of Equity and Inclusion issues certification for entities qualifying as Small Business Enterprises (SBEs).
To determine if your company meets the requirements for SBE certification, review the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s Standards and Practices Manual, which is also generally summarized as follows:
| Certification |
Ownership and Control |
Business Location/Size Standard |
FastTrack Application Eligibility |
| SBE |
At least 51% Owned or Controlled by individual with personal net worth less than $1.6 million, Headquartered in a Qualified Census Track in Ohio |
Physical presence in Ohio and revenues below 50% of the federal SBA Size Standards |
ODOT as SBE or DBE |
| UCP as DBE |
Ohio Dept. Of
Development- EDGE
Certification |
If your company meets the requirements to participate in the Commission’s Business Inclusion Program, and certify as a SBE with OTIC, follow the link to access its application portal: Compliance and Certification Online System.
Businesses that are certified as SBEs or DBEs with ODOT or EDGE certified with the Ohio Department of Development may submit a Fast-Track Application with the Commission.
Department of Development EDGE Directory
Ohio Department of Transportation SBE Directory
Apply For /
Renew Certification
CLICK HERE
Available Certified Businesses
To count toward the Goal, the companies must be certified as a SBE with the Commission at the time the Proposal/Bid is submitted. Businesses that are certified as SBEs or DBEs with ODOT or EDGE certified with the Ohio Department of Development may submit a Fast-Track Application with the Commission but must still be certified as a SBE with the Commission at the time the Proposal/Bid is submitted. Prime contractors are strongly encouraged to further utilize OTIC’s SBE Directory.
Certified
Business Directory
CLICK HERE
Do not hesitate to contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion for assistance in identifying available businesses to potentially participate in any given project contact through email - OEI Contracts Coordinator Stacey Verespe - STACEY.VERESPE@ohioturnpike.org or calling 440-971-2065.
Good Faith Effort
In accordance with Resolution No. 43-2016, adopted June 20, 2016, as reaffirmed by Resolution No. 95-2023, adopted October 16, 2023 the Commission instituted a requirement that bidders and respondents demonstrate Good Faith Efforts to utilize Small Business Enterprise firms. Good Faith Efforts means performing necessary and reasonable actions that, by their scope, intensity, and appropriateness, would reasonably be expected to attain SBE participation in proportion to an established Contact Goal. The Office of Equity and Inclusion has established a policy and procedure to determine whether the obligation to use Good Faith Efforts is fulfilled. Please visit our Standards and Practices Manual for more information on the Commission’s Good Faith Effort procedures.
Do not hesitate to contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion for assistance in identifying available businesses to potentially participate in any given project contact through email - OEI Contracts Coordinator Stacey Verespe - STACEY.VERESPE@ohioturnpike.org or calling 440-971-2065.
Monitor Contracts
The Office of Equity and Inclusion will monitor Contracts to ensure prompt payment to SBEs and compliance with Contract goals and commitments through OTIC's compliance monitoring software.
Prevailing Wage
Ohio's prevailing wage laws generally apply to all Commission projects involving the Turnpike right-of-way and its buildings that are fairly estimated to cost more than the minimum thresholds the Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce establishes biennially. The Commission includes specific contract requirements for projects that invoke the Contractor’s (and its subcontractors’) prevailing wage obligations under Ohio’s state law. The Commission further requires that all construction contractors and subcontractors providing any labor on the site must be enrolled in the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Drug-Free Safety Program, or a similar program approved by the BWC, and have an active Workers’ Compensation policy coverage.