Small Business Enterprise Program

For questions regarding METRO Small Business Certification, please contact Keandra Brooks, Small Business Certification Specialist, at keandra.brooks@ridemetro.org.

Overview

See METRO SBE certification eligibility and documentation requirements and access our certified vendor database.

Help Center

Contact our Help Center for assistance with registration, certification, training, assessments, business development and more.

Success Stories

Read some of the remarkable success stories of our small business partners who are recent recipients of contract awards.

IMPP

The Interagency Mentor Protégé Program helps to build small business capacity among historically underutilized businesses.

Apply for Certification

The METRO Small Business Certification application process is online only. METRO doesn't accept hard copies of supporting documents via email or fax. Supporting documents may be submitted with your online application for certification or recertification.

General Requirements

To be certified as a Small Business, your business should meet the following qualifications:

1. Has been in operation at least one year
2. Has at least one year of business tax returns
3. Has at least $5,000 in revenue in the last 12 months
4. Does not exceed the U. S. Small Business Administration size standards
5. Does not exceed $2.047M personal net worth for each owner with 5% or more ownership

Document Requirements

• METRO Personal Net Worth Statement for each owner with 5% or more ownership
• The Affidavit of Certification must be signed and notarized for each owner
  
• Three (3) years of company taxes or one (1) year company taxes (if new business) and two (2) years of personal taxes
• One (1) year of personal taxes for each owner with 5% or more ownership
• Provide NAICS codes & a description of your company services
• Three (3) verifiable references (name, email address and phone number)

See the Online Application Guide for an overview of the application process.

Interagency Mentor Protégé Program

Interagency Mentor Protégé Program

• Overview
• IMPP Testimonials

METRO, Houston Independent School District (HISD), City of Houston, Houston Community College and Port of Houston Authority have teamed up to create the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP).

The goals of IMPP are to enhance the business skills and broaden the base of small and minority businesses by providing the knowledge and experience of established firms.

“IMPP truly exceeded my expectations in many ways and gave me knowledge on practical tools to enhance my personal and professional life. I wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone seeking to increase their knowledge and skills!"

Michael Garcia, MTG Construction & Renovations LLC

“The diversity of workshops and guest speaker sessions exposed me to various facets of entrepreneurship that I had never considered before. The program was tailored to accommodate different learning styles, which made it engaging and accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. Overall, the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP) gave me the tools, knowledge and inspiration to confidently grow my business and explore other business ventures.”

Meagan Tamara Copelin, MC Global Management Consultants

“I truly enjoyed being a part of the IMPP program and learning from some of the most successful entities in Houston. The leaders brought energy to the meetings and provided several presentations to help us in different areas of our business. It’s a comfort to know that as a small business owner, I have knowledgeable and experienced individuals to turn to if I have questions or concerns about doing business with METRO, the City of Houston, Houston HISD and Houston Community College, just to name a few.”

Gloria Cantu-Shrewsbury, S5 Fuels