Northwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center
Small Business Assistance for US DOT Contracting
Objective:
The objective of the Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) is to increase the number of small and disadvantaged businesses that are prepared to compete for, and enter into, transportation-related prime and subcontract.
The Northwest SBTRC is funded by a cooperative agreement with Snohomish County Economic Development Council (EDC) and U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).
The Northwest SBTRC serves Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana and provides assistance with the following:
- Provide technical assistance;
- Business training program : business assessment, management training, counseling, technical assistance, marketing and outreach;
- Conduct outreach and disseminate information to small businesses at regional transportation-related conferences, seminars, and workshops; and
- Financial Assistance, OSDBU’s Financial Assistance, the Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) .
- Women and Girls Internship Program
- The US DOT Bonding Education Program
Secretary Ray Lahood expands the DBE Program to Help Small Businesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a final rulemaking that will help economically and socially disadvantaged businesses take advantage of opportunities to participate in federally funded highway, transit and airport projects. The final rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today, will also hold states and local agencies more accountable for including disadvantaged businesses in their transportation plans
“When we help small businesses, we’re helping to get the economy going,” said Secretary LaHood. “This rule will help small and disadvantaged businesses get a fair shot at participating in state and local transportation projects.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program helps small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals compete for government contracts. The Department also requires state and local transportation agencies to establish goals for DBE participation.
The Department of Transportation’s new rulemaking will require greater accountability from state and local transportation agencies for including disadvantaged businesses in their spending plans. Those that fail to meet established goals for DBE participation will be required to evaluate why the goals were not met and offer a plan to help meet the goal in the future.
In addition, the final rule will adjust the personal net worth limit for DBE owners for inflation from the present $750,000 to $1.32 million. The current limit was set in 1989 and has not been adjusted since.
The Department of Transportation’s rulemaking will also add provisions to ensure that prime contractors fulfill commitments to use DBE subcontractors. State and local agencies will be required to monitor each contract to make sure prime contractors are fulfilling their obligations and do not dismiss DBE subcontractors without good cause. The rule also requires state and local agencies to create a plan for improving the use of small businesses, including DBEs.
Another major change under the rulemaking will reduce burdens on small businesses seeking DBE certification in more than one state. As a result of today’s rulemaking, all states will be required to accept DBE certifications obtained in other states, unless the state finds good cause not to accept it. The rule establishes a process for resolving issues with respect to eligibility raised by states concerning out-of-state firms.
The Department anticipates issuing a proposed rulemaking to make changes in its regulation for airport concession DBEs paralleling those in today’s final regulation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s final rule to improve the DBE Program appeared on the Federal Register’s Electronic Public Inspection Desk today.
Full federal Register Notice PDF
The Northwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center is proud to announce the facilitation of;
The US DOT's Bonding Education Program Workshop
The U.S. DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with SFAA to assist with the development and implementation of the DOT/OSDBU Bonding Education Program (BEP). This program is based on SFAA’s successful Model Contractor Development Program (MCDP), which has been implemented in a number of state and local jurisdictions nationwide. The BEP will apply the MCDP approach in a pilot effort utilizing the DOT network of Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs) to provide education, placement and technical assistance to help small and disadvantaged businesses become “bond ready” and meet requirements to bid on and win transportation-related construction and services contracts.
The BEP features a series of educational workshops (10 week course) in which participants learn how surety bonding relates to all aspects of their business operations and specific approaches and techniques that result in a successful bond application. Training focuses on business planning, banking and finance, construction accounting and financial management, bonding and insurance, claims and dispute resolution, marketing, estimating and bidding, and project management and field operations. The program also employs a bond readiness component consisting of one-on-one interactions with surety bond producers, underwriters and other professionals who work with participants to help assemble the materials and information necessary for a complete bond application. These professionals also work with participants to address any omissions or deficiencies that might deter the successful underwriting of a bond. At the end of 10 weeks, businesses are paired with local bond producers to work side by side in the bonding process.
Three successful pilot initiatives launched in Chicago on May 27, Dallas on June 10 and Atlanta on June 24 last year.
The proposed dates from US DOT to implement this program :
Location: WSDOT Shoreline Office
Stakeholders Meeting: Week of August 22
First Day of Workshops: Thursday October 13, 2011
Bonding Education Program Workshop Registration Link
Bonding Education Program Workshop Flyer Link
Bonding Education Program Press release
FAST LANE, The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation
- GPA - 2.8 or higher to qualify
- Letter of interest from the student
- Letter of Recommendation
- Interview
The Northwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center is proud to announce the facilitation of;
The US DOT's Entrepreneurial Training
Women and Girls Internship Program
On July 26, 2010 U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the expansion of the Women‘s Internship program to encourage young women to pursue careers in transportation.
The U.S. DOT Women’s Internship Program will now expand from one to all eleven Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) regions, enabling young women from colleges and universities across the country to participate. Administered through the department’s 11 Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRC) which provide resources, technical assistance and outreach to all 50 states and U.S. territories, each SBTRC will be responsible for placing qualified female college students in transportation related internships throughout their regions.
The expanded program, based on a successful pilot with Spelman College that Secretary LaHood announced with Congressman John Lewis and OSDBU Director Neal in Atlanta in 2009, is part of a broader effort led by the White House to ensure that federal programs and policies take into account the distinct needs and concerns of women and girls.
Goals of the Program:
The goals of the program are to increase the participation of women in the transportation industry and prepare young women to become our nation’s future leaders. To accomplish these goals, the program will:
1. Identify the current situation for women participation in the transportation infrastructure industry, address those challenges, and seek to improve the status quo;
2. Educate young women on the exciting opportunities available in the transportation infrastructure industry and inspire them to enter the science, engineering, and technology fields;
Application Process:
Applicants must be current female college students. Applicants will be selected based on a four part process:
Northwest Region Participating Schools:
- Bellevue College
- Bellingham Community College
- Boise State University
- Eastern Washington University
- Everett Community College
- Evergreen State College
- Gonzaga University
- Pierce College
- Portland State University
- Seattle University
- Shoreline Community College
- South Seattle Community College
- St. Martin’s University
- TransNow (University of Washington and Washington State University)
- University of Washington
- University of Washington, Bothell
- University of Washington, Tacoma
- Western Washington University
Procurement Opportunities
- Please contact the SBTRC for Procurement Opportunities
- If you are a Government Agency Please contact the SBTRC for information dissemination
US DOT Procurement Assistance
- Procurement Forecast
- Subcontracting with DOT
- DOT Subcontracting Directory
- FedBizOpps
- DOT Small Business Specialists
SBTRC- Northwest Region Office:
728 134th St., SW, Ste 128
Everett, WA 98204
Phone: (425) 248-4222
Fax (425) 743-5726
SBTRC- Northwest Region /Satellite Office:
401 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 718-7250
The Northwest SBTRC staff:
Troy McClelland
Executive Director, NW SBTRC
Lily Keeffe
Project Director, NW SBTRC
Matthew Anderson
Project Coordinator, NW SBTRC
Participating OEO services and State DOT OEO offices
| ALASKA Jon Dunham Manager, Civil Rights Office AK DOT 2200 E. 42nd Ave. P.O. Box 196900 Anchorage, AK 99519-6900 Phone: (907) 269-0851 Fax: (907) 269-0847 Email: jon.dunham@alaska.gov |
Linda Babb Supervisor, DBE Certification AK DOT 2200 E. 42nd Ave. P.O. Box 196900 Anchorage, AK 99519-6900 Phone: (907) 269-0851 Fax: (907) 269-0847 Email: linda.babb@alaska.gov |
| IDAHO Julie Caldwell EEO Contract Compliance Officer & Chairperson, DBE Certification Committee ID Transportation Department P.O. Box 7129 Boise, ID 83707-1129 Phone: (208) 334-8458 Fax: (208) 332-7812 Email: julie.caldwell@itd.idaho.gov |
Liz Healas DBE Supportive Services Coordinator ID Transportation Department P.O. Box 7129 Boise, ID 83707-1129 Phone: (208) 334-8567 Fax: (208) 332-7812 Email: elizabeth.healas@itd.idaho.gov |
| MONTANA Patti McCubbins, Chief Civil Rights Bureau MT DOT 2701 Prospect Ave. P.O. Box 201001 Helena, MT 59620-1001 Phone: (406) 444-6335 TTY: (406) 444-7696 Fax: (406) 444-7685 Email: scozzie@mt.gov |
Wendy Stewart DBE Program Manager/DBE SS Project Administrator MT DOT 2701 Prospect Ave., P.O. Box 201001 Helena, MT 59620-1001 Phone: (406) 444-6337 TTY: (800) 335-7696 Fax: (406) 444-7685 Email: westewart@mt.gov |
| OREGON C. Jill Miller Small Business Programs Manager OR DOT Office of Civil Rights 355 Capitol Street, NE Salem, OR 97301-3871 Phone: (503) 986-4355 Fax: (503) 986-6382 Email: c.jill.miller@odot.state.or.us |
Michael A. Cobb Office of Civil Rights Manager 355 Capitol Street, NE Room 504 Salem, OR 97301-3871 Phone: (503) 986-5753 |
WASHINGTON http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/equalopportunity/ |
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SOUND-TRANSIT http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/Procurement-and-contracts/Diversity-program.xml |
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TRIMET http://trimet.org/business/dbe/index.htm |
Kimberly Sutton Diversity and Transit Equity Rep. dbe@trimet.org 503-962-2213 |
