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For two decades, has been registered as a DMWESB business. Owner Christine Mosher renews certification every three years, though she isn’t quite sure what it does for her.

鈥淚t may make a difference; I have no idea,鈥� Mosher said. 鈥淚t’s something that people aren’t telling us.鈥�

Work is difficult to attain, even with certification, Mosher added. For small subcontractors like Sign Wizards, do labels such as 鈥渄isadvantaged,鈥� 鈥渕inority-owned,鈥� 鈥渨omen-owned鈥� or 鈥渆merging small business鈥� matter?

鈥淚t matters all the time,鈥� said Bart Eberwein, who is in charge of business development and public affairs at Hoffman Construction.

Certification is essential, according to Rhonnda Edmiston, small business outreach manager at .

鈥淲hat I tell small businesses is that going through that process and getting certified probably won’t get them anything,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut if they don’t do it, they may not be contacted.鈥�

Howard S. Wright relies on the state’s list of certified businesses to maintain its own list of potential subcontractors for projects, Edmiston said.

Mosher acknowledged that her firm often is asked to bid on projects, and said this shows 鈥渁 good-faith effort鈥� by general contractors to include DMWESB businesses. Ultimately, however, a low bid wins a project, she said.

鈥淧eople think that (once they are certified) they’re automatically going to get that work,鈥� said Marc Johnson, a project estimator for . He said he has learned through experience and a recent training given by that certification is simply part of the equation. Now, he said, a lot happens through relationships 鈥� particularly those between subcontractors and project managers.

charges its project managers to become visible in minority communities and attend meetings (of organizations of DMWESB contractors), Eberwein said. 鈥淭hose are natural meeting places.鈥�

Involvement of DMWESB firms has spread beyond government projects, where a minimum participation is required. For example, Hoffman strives for 20 percent DMWESB participation, as well as 20 percent apprentice participation, on all of its projects. It also has enlisted the services of an outreach expert to bring in DMWESB contractors for certain projects.

鈥淲e are looking to walk the talk,鈥� Eberwein. 鈥淪o (by getting these certifications), you are identifying your firm as someone who we want to talk to and walk with.鈥�

Howard S. Wright set up a three-tiered selection process to hire subcontractors for a recent project. For work with estimated at less than $25,000, it negotiated directly with state-certified DMWESB businesses; for work less than $150,000, it limited bidding to state-certified DMWESB businesses; and for work more than $150,000, it weighed diversity in addition to price when considering bids.

Skanska recently set up a six-week training program to inform DMWESB contractors about effective business practices and bid submissions.

鈥淚n the last decade, and especially in the last two to three years, more and more general contractors 鈥� have been managing to an outcome of successful minority- and women-owned and emerging businesses and less to a statistic or to meet a top-down edict from some owner,鈥� Eberwein said.

Mosher was told only once that DMWESB status helped Sign Wizards get a contract. Nevertheless, Mosher said she will continue to renew the certification.

鈥淲hy not?鈥� she said. 鈥淚t may one day land me some really great job.鈥�