City of St. Louis M/WBE Program: Status and What to Do

What happened

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) took over the City's M/WBE certification from the airport's Business Diversity Development office on August 30, 2024 (per SLDC). In early August 2025 the City paused new M/WBE contracts, citing concerns about federal funding. On September 5, 2025, Mayor Cara Spencer signed Executive Order 91, which resumed certification at SLDC "effective immediately" and moved from citywide goals to goals set for each project, based on the City's 2024 Disparity Study.

On June 29, 2026, the Mayor approved Ordinance 72161 (Board Bill 19), which extends the program's sunset date to December 31, 2026. It took effect July 29, 2026.

What it means for your bids

• City M/WBE certification is open. SLDC accepts and reviews applications.
• There's no single citywide percentage anymore. Each City contract sets its own M/WBE goal, so read the goal in each solicitation.
• The program is scheduled to end December 31, 2026. Contracts bid after that may have no M/WBE goal unless the Board of Aldermen acts first.
• This is the City of St. Louis program only. St. Louis County runs a separate program whose status was disputed in June 2026, and Missouri's state MBE/WBE certification is separate too.

What to do now

1. Call SLDC at (314) 657-3700 to apply, renew, or ask where your application stands, and ask for the link to the online application.
2. Read each City solicitation for its project-specific M/WBE goal and the forms it asks for.
3. If you are a prime contractor, line up certified subcontractors early, since goals now differ project by project.
4. Keep copies of your certificate and any SLDC letters.

Watch out for

• The December 31, 2026 sunset. Watch the Board of Aldermen this fall for an extension or a new ordinance.
• SLDC's rules for calculating project goals were to follow Executive Order 91. We could not find them published.
• Eligibility rules (ownership, net worth, location) are in the City's M/WBE guidelines and Ordinance 70767 on SLDC's guidelines page. We have not summarized them here.
• Missouri's Attorney General sued Kansas City over its MWBE program in July 2026, and Kansas City ended that program. We found no similar action against the City of St. Louis as of October 14, 2026.
• Certification help from SLDC is free.

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Sources

• www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/mwbe-resumption.cfm
• www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/city-laws/ordinances/ordinance.cfm?ord=72161
• www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/procurement/rfq-for-minority-and-women-ow
• www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/documents/mwbe-official-guidelines.cfm
• www.lewisrice.com/publications/city-of-st-louis-resumes-m-wbe-certification-program-eff

FindMyBids isn't affiliated with any certifying agency, and this isn't legal advice. Status can change quickly with court orders and new laws, so confirm with the program office before you rely on it.