Each year, Maricopa County spends more than $750 million on goods, services and construction contracts. The county's Board of Supervisors approved the new Small Business Advocacy Program, which recognizes the value small and local businesses bring to the county's economy.

This program ensures these companies get a larger share of business, and the goal is to give small firms with fewer than 100 employees a better chance to compete.

Officials say the program will give county departments more flexibility to work with local businesses with no more than $4 million in sales for the last fiscal year. 

To qualify for this programs, you must:

• Independently own/operate
• Operating for over a year
• Be within Maricopa County or locations inside and outside Maricopa County as long as the location accounts for 50% of sales or 50% of employees
• Fewer than 100 employees
• On all county taxes
• In good standing with AZDOR and all regulatory agencies in the state of Arizona

Businesses can certify that they qualify for this program inside the county's E-procurement platform called "Periscope S2G."