Sec. 7.1102. - Veteran Business Enterprise Preference.
(A) Veteran business enterprise is defined as a business that (i) has been certified by the state Department of Management Services to be a certified veteran business enterprise as set forth in Section 295.187, Florida Statutes; and (ii) has a principal place of business in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (i.e., Orange, Lake, Seminole or Osceola counties).
(B) A business which wishes to obtain a veteran business enterprise preference on a procurement must meet the definition of veteran business enterprise no later than the date of submittal of its bid, proposal, quote or qualification statement.
(C) For solicitations by competitive sealed bidding and requests for quotation, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.301(H) of this Code, the following bid preference scale shall apply to a responsive bid submitted by a responsible veteran business enterprise, provided its bid does not exceed the lowest responsive and responsible bid by more than the following:
1. Fifteen percent (15%) on bids up to One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500);
2. Ten percent (10%) on bids from One Thousand Five Hundred and 01/100 Dollars ($1,500.01) to Nineteen Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($19,999.99);
3. Nine percent (9%) on bids from Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) to Thirty-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($39,999.99);
4. Eight percent (8%) on bids from Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000) to Fifty-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($59,999.99);
5. Seven percent (7%) on bids from Sixty Thousand Dollars ($60,000) to Seventy-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($79,999.99);
6. Six percent (6%) on bids from Eighty Thousand Dollars ($80,000) to Ninety-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($99,999.99);
7. Five percent (5%) on bids from One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) to One Hundred Forty-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($149,999.99);
8. Four percent (4%) on bids from One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000) to Two Hundred Forty-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($249,999.99);
9. Three percent (3%) on bids from Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) to Four Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($499,999.99);
10. Two percent (2%) on bids from Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) to Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine and 99/100 Dollars ($999,999.99); and
11. One percent (1%) on bids for One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) or more.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this bid preference shall not apply if the lowest responsive and responsible bid was submitted by another veteran business enterprise. A business which is both a veteran business enterprise and a small or local business enterprise, shall receive a bid preference for either its status as a veteran business enterprise or as a small or local business enterprise, but not both, as provided in the solicitation.
(D) For procurement by competitive sealed proposals, invitation to negotiate, and requests for qualifications, participation by veteran business enterprises will receive two percent (2%) of the points in the scoring as provided in the solicitation, when weighted evaluation criteria with score sheets are utilized in the solicitation. A business which is both a veteran business enterprise and a small or local business enterprise will receive a scoring credit for either its status as a veteran business enterprise or as a small or local business enterprise, but not both, as provided in the solicitation.
(E) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.301 (J) of this Code, if there are two (2) or more low, responsive bids from responsible bidders that are identical in price and other evaluation criteria, and one (1) of the bids is from a veteran business enterprise, the bid shall be awarded to the veteran business enterprise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if one (1) of the other identical bids is submitted by another veteran business enterprise, then the contract award shall be made as provided in Section 7.301 (J) of this Code.
(F) The veteran business enterprise preference shall not apply to procurements where prohibited by law or disallowed by the terms (i) of any grant or (ii) agreement with the state or federal government. The veteran business enterprise preference shall not apply to procurements to which the Small and Local Business Enterprise Preference Program does not apply.
(G) The veteran business enterprise preference shall apply to solicitations issued by the City after January 1, 2014.
(Ord. No. 2013-71, § 1, 12-9-2013, Doc. #1312091206; Ord. No. 2015-22, § 1, 6-15-2015, Doc. #1506151204; Ord. No. 2016-47, § 1, 5-23-2016, Doc. #1605231202; Ord. No. 2025-47, § 1, 4-20-2026, Doc. #26042012a)
