§ 28-105. Eligibility for SLBE Program.

(a) General requirements.

To be eligible for certification as an SLBE, the business enterprise must:

(1) be an independently owned and operated business enterprise that is not a broker, that is not a subsidiary of another business, and that is not dominant in its field of operation;

(2) have owners who are actively involved in day-to-day management and control of the business;

(3) perform a commercially useful function;

(4) not have employed more than 50 full-time persons at any time during the last 3 years;

(5) have annual gross revenues, as averaged over its most recent past 3 fiscal years or, if the business has not existed for 3 years, over the course of the existence of the business, of not more than:

(i) $5 million for construction firms, specialty trade contractors, and manufacturing firms;

(ii) $2.5 million for architectural firms;

(iii) $1.5 million for professional services firms;

(iv) $1.25 million for engineering firms; or

(v) $1 million for firms providing other services, materials, or equipment, except for manufacturing firms; and

(6) have a principal place of business in Baltimore City;

(7) have:

(i) been established for at least 1 year; or

(ii) managing principals of the business who each have at least 3 years of relevant experience prior to forming or joining the business; and

(8) in the year preceding the date of the initial certification application, not have received more than $1,000,000 in City contract payments as a result of contract awards from the City achieved through an open competitive bidding process.

(b) Ineligible firms.

(1) A business firm is not eligible to become a certified SLBE if it is owned by:

(i) other businesses that cannot themselves qualify under the SLBE eligibility requirements in subsection (a) of this section; or

(ii) the principals or owners of other businesses that cannot themselves qualify under the SLBE eligibility requirements in subsection (a) of this section.

(2) A business firm that has graduated from the SLBE Program under § 28-109 {"Graduation[, etc.]"} is no longer eligible to participate in the SLBE Program even if it otherwise meets all other eligibility criteria.