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 America Building Businesses and a Skilled Workforce for the Transportation-Highway Construction Industry: Applying Key Provisions of SAFETEA-LU to Create Opportunity
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2006 AASHTO National Transportation Civil Rights Conference
Highway Contractors' Forum
August 19, 2006
Presented by:
Frederick D. Isler
Associate Administrator for Civil Rights
Our Responsibilities as Transportation Officials
- Making sure our communities are aware of changes that affect them:
- Legislative changes
- Environmental changes
- Social changes
- Economic changes…and then….
- Make sure that our communities are aware of the opportunities that these changes present.
- Be specific about the information we disseminate – easily understood and usable.
- Take time to…
- Educate
- Inform and be Informed
- Share Information…
- “Knowledge is Power”
It’s not just about numbers!
- To improve minority representation and participation in the transportation industry, we must be daring and creative because…
- It’s not just about numbers….it’s also about true equality
Partnerships and Community Involvement
Visualize……
- Communities where partnerships exist
- Communities where people work together to make the most of what is available to them
- Communities that take full advantage of the available resources by encouraging unity, consolidating gains, embracing and incorporating new cultures into progressive and dynamic initiatives.
Partnerships as Agents of Change
- Partnerships can be effective instruments and valuable resources for:
- Leading change, establishing urgency, and creating guiding coalitions.
- Developing strategies and empowering individuals and organizations.
Making this Community a Reality
- We must be prepared to involve ALL levels of the community in the decision-making process.
- SAFETEA-LU opens many doors in the community, but we must do the following to go through those doors:
MORE OUTREACH
- Encourage more minority communities, low income, and other groups to comment on transportation plans.
…become involved to avoid inequitable outcomes in transportation policy
- Inform people about the existence of transportation programs that could benefit them.
- Encourage greater collaboration among Federal, State, and Local governments, community-based organizations, high schools, and community colleges – to ensure communities are part of building transportation projects.
- Get to know the concerns of the affected communities
- Maintain liaisons with affected public interest groups and community organizations
Technical Assistance
- Conduct workshops and conferences for the local communities
- Help communities establish advisory groups so they can become part of the transportation decision-making process
Business Opportunity and Workforce Development Centers (BOWD): Making the Most of What SAFETEA-LU Offers
- A new technical assistance initiative of FHWA’s Office of Civil Rights.
- An effort to maximize existing resources to enhance effectiveness of On-the-Job Training (OJT) program and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.
- A promotion of partnerships to deliver both programs together.
- Pilot BOWD Centers – will fund 24 centers over a 2-year period.
- Targeted technical assistance to help under-utilized DBES who are ready, willing, and able to compete for, and perform Federal-aid highway contracts.
- Resources to recruit, hire, and assist highway contractors (including DBEs) with meeting OJT requirements and developing their workforce.
- Encourage STA recipients to partner with prime contractors, minority colleges, community based organizations, and DBE community
- OJT Supportive Services programs are designed to develop capabilities of trainees, assist contractors with recruitment and hiring, and increase effectiveness of OJT programs
- BOWD Centers designed to meet objectives of BOTH the DBE and OJT programs.
Partnerships: A Key Element of the BOWD Centers
- To receive funding for a BOWD Center, the proposal must include the following partnerships:
- STAs: States must consider utilizing provisions of Section 5204(e) of SAFETEA-LU –now allows 100% federal funding from 5 core programs (Interstate Maintenance , Surface Transportation Programs, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality, National Highway Systems, Highway Bridge Program) for workforce development activities, such as OJT/SS programs
- FHWA Division Office
- Prime Contractors and Associations
- Financial: Bonding, Banking, Insurance
- Community Based Organizations
- Community Development Agency (a Federal agency in some States)
- Minority Colleges (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions
- Union Apprenticeship Programs
- Other Resource Agencies (Small Business Administration, USDA Rural Development Loan program, Dept. of Labor, Dept. of Education Training programs, etc.)
BOWD Centers: Focus on OJT and DBE Key Criteria
- Focus on Highway construction (including functions incidental to construction e.g., preliminary engineering, project development/engineering services, design, consultant, or other professional services
- Identify highway transportation projects adjacent to local communities
- Must promote community participation
- Target underutilized DBEs with capabilities and capacity to compete
- Develop and promote state, federal, and private industry financial lending programs
- Promote joint ventures, mentor-protégé, and match-making programs (e.g., DBE w/other contractors)
- Commitment of identified prime contractor(s)
- Business Development module, including individual needs assessment of each DBE; development of business plan
- Workforce Development component linking State’s OJT/SS program with other education, professional development and outreach programs to train DBE’s workforce
- OJT supportive services relating to:
- Recruitment, counseling, outreach, transportation to work site, job site mentoring, job placement, skill and remedial training, developing capabilities of prospective trainees
BOWD Centers: Performance-Based and Results-Oriented
- Identify approx 25 underutilized DBEs who will commit to 2-year, in-depth business development program
- Goals and objectives to measure growth (e.g., number of Federal-aid highway subcontracts awarded, bonding, etc.)
- Performance period not to exceed 2 years
- Monitoring and evaluation/progress reports
BOWD Centers: Expected Outcomes
- At least 10 DBE Success Stories (business growth, contracts, business expansion into other work codes, DBE employees in OJT and other workforce develop. programs)
- Partnerships that continue BOWD Center beyond 2-year pilot
- Community Participation (employment on local highway projects)
BOWD Centers: How to Submit a Proposal
Contact:
In the words of Frederick Douglas….
“We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed.”
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