Small Business Community

The Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO)

A major part of GCS efforts in the business community, The Office of Small Business Opportunity provides a race and gender-neutral tool for the County to use in its efforts to ensure that six industry categories of its local business community have an opportunity to participate in County contracts.  

The Office of Small Business Opportunity provides the following services:

• Business Development - Develops and coordinates outreach programs designed to attract and encourage local small and minority-owned businesses to compete for Richland County contracts for projects and services.
• Certification and Compliance - Conducts all phases of certification process using numerous verification techniques to ensure applicants meet the eligibility requirements and complies to all aspects of the business. To learn how to get certified (Click Here).
• Financial Resources - Ensures that all solicitations are advertised in a timely manner to County SLBEs. Provides to certified SLBEs and prospective SLBEs information, education, and training on funding sources for small businesses, including future projects; venture capital, small business grants, Small Business Administration loan programs, surety bonds, and Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs).
• Workshops - Scheduled workshops are held monthly (Click Here).

Certified Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBEs)

To view the larger directory of SLBEs (Click Here). 

Contact OSBO

To contact the Office of Small Business Opportunity or schedule an appointment please call (803)-576-1540 or email at osbo@richlandcountysc.gov.