Sunset of St. Louis County M/WBE Program Heads to County Council

Date Posted: June 30, 2026

Posted In: Ideas, Regionalism, What we are thinking about,

The future of St. Louis County’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program has become the subject of growing debate following confirmation from County Executive Dr. Sam Page that the program reached its scheduled sunset in May under the terms of the ordinance that created it. The issue has sparked disagreement among elected officials, business organizations and civil rights leaders over both the legal status of the program and what should happen next.

In a June 12 letter to the County Council, Page’s administration stated that the ordinance establishing the M/WBE program included a May 2026 expiration date. According to the County Executive’s office, only the County Council has the authority to enact a replacement ordinance, and the administration has asked the Council to begin discussions on a successor program that reflects current legal standards.

Sunsetting Mechanism Questioned

The issue has become more complicated because several County Council members and community leaders contend the program cannot simply disappear without additional legislative action. Councilwoman Shalonda Webb has questioned why the Council was previously told renewal would not be necessary until early 2027, while NAACP St. Louis City President Adolphus Pruitt argues that the original ordinance required disparity studies, public reporting and public hearings before the Council could determine the program’s future. He maintains those steps were not completed and therefore believes the program remains in effect until the Council formally acts.

For the construction industry, the uncertainty carries significant implications.

Opportunities Stressed

For nearly a decade, the County’s M/WBE certification program has provided a pathway for minority- and women-owned contractors to participate in public work while helping prime contractors identify qualified firms to meet participation goals. The program has also offered mentoring, business development assistance and training designed to help smaller firms compete for government contracts.

Business owners speaking before the County Council said the program has expanded opportunities for certified firms while increasing the pool of qualified contractors available for public projects. Several warned that allowing the program to lapse without a replacement could reduce opportunities for emerging businesses and interrupt programs that have supported supplier diversity within the County’s procurement process.

The County’s deliberations come amid broader changes in the legal and policy landscape surrounding public diversity programs.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order in 2025 directing state agencies to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and adopt what the administration describes as a merit-based, equal-protection framework. Although that executive order does not directly govern St. Louis County, it is part of a changing legal environment in which public agencies across the country are reexamining how diversity programs are structured to withstand constitutional scrutiny.

The City of St. Louis has taken a different approach. After temporarily pausing its minority- and women-owned business contracting program in 2025, the City worked with outside legal experts to redesign its program around project-specific goals tied to its disparity study before resuming M/WBE certification and contracting activities.

The County Council is expected to continue discussions on whether—and how—to replace the current ordinance with a legally compliant successor program.