Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

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The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program seeks to ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts in the Department’s highway, transit, and airport financial assistance programs and to create a level playing field on which DBEs can compete fairly for DOT-assisted contracts.

The FTA Office of Civil Rights is responsible for monitoring FTA recipient's DBE programs and ensuring their compliance with DOT's DBE Regulations found at 49 CFR Part 26.

DBE Classes

• Civil Rights Workshops
• Free National Transit Institute DBE class

DBe-Community

• Submit an Innovative DBE Practice

DBE Regulation

• 49 CFR Part 26:  Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Department of Transportation Financial Assistance Programs

Federal Register Notices

• March 23, 2006; DOT's General Counsel's approved guidance concerning the effects of Western States Paving Co. v. United States & Washington State Department of Transportation , 407 F. 3d 983 (9th Cir. 2005) 
• August 21, 2006; Response to comments to FTA's March 23, 2006 FRN
• April 2, 2007; Final Rule adjusting the dollar limits  used to define small businesses for the DOT's DBE program

Guidance

•  Letter from Acting Director reminding grantees of June 1 Semi-Annual Report submissions, and encouraging electronic submissions [PDF copy]
• Letter from Acting Director reminding grantees and TVMs of FY09 annual goal submission deadline and publication requirments [PDF copy]
• DOT's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) DBE Webpage
• OSDBU's Guidance for DBE Program Administrators
• DOT's Questions and Answers about DBE Program Regulations, 49 CFR Part 26
• DOT's Tips for Goal-Setting in the DBE Program

DBE Complaints, Fraud

• File a DBE Complaint with FTA
• Report DBE Fraud to DOT's Office of Inspector General (OIG)

Transit Vehicle Manufacturer (TVM)

• TVM Requirements
• List of Transit Vehicle Manufacturers

DBE Forms

• Instructions for Completing the Uniform Report of DBE Awards or Commitments and Payments Form (Semi-Annual Report)
• Uniform Report of DBE Awards or Commitments and Payments (Semi-Annual Report)
• DOT's Sample DBE Program

DBE Links

• DOT's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and Minority Resource Center
• National Transit Institute (NTI) DBE Course Offering
• DOT's OSDBU Spring 2008 Transportation Link Newsletter