Supplier Diversity

Louisville Water Company actively works with the Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) companies in our purchasing processes.

Our Good Faith Effort program is designed to incorporate MWBEs into our subcontractor purchasing process.

Our subcontractor participation goal is 15% for minority-owned and 5% for women-owned businesses. A contract is not awarded until a prime contractor has demonstrated a good faith effort to meet these goals.

After a contract is awarded, MWBE participation is closely monitored, including a review of the subcontractor financial transactions and job site visits to verify work is being performed by the MWBEs originally listed. Any deviation from compliance standards is documented and penalties may be applied.

Periodically, Louisville Water revises the MWBE program requirements for improvements.

  • Facility and Plant Bid MWBE Requirements: Bidders are allowed to submit the name of the subcontractor and type of subcontracting within 24 hours after bid opening.
  • Master Agreement* MWBE Requirements: Bidders must submit the name of the subcontractor and the type of subcontracting.

*Master agreements are expiring bids which are set up for one year, with a provision to renew for an additional number of years (up to 5 years total). Each project purchased from the master agreement is referred to as an assignment. Specific assignment scopes are unknown at the time of bidding.