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Wednesday,
August 13, 2003
Contact: Ben Langer, 202-366-5580
DOT 70-03
U.S.
Transportation Department Announces Cooperative Agreement With Orlando Firm to
Reach Out to Small Disadvantaged Businesses
The
U.S. Transportation Department's Sean Moss, Director of the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), today announced a cooperative
agreement of $100,000 to Minority/Women Business Enterprise Alliance, Inc.
The purpose of the agreement is for the Orlando firm to assist the OSDBU
in promoting contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses
on transportation-related projects in the region.
"Entrepreneurship
is the path to prosperity for many Americans, including minorities and women,
and the Bush Administration wants to create an environment where entrepreneurs
can flourish," U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said last
month when he announced the selection of eight of these organizations called
TEAMs (Transportation Equity Act Model). "TEAMs
will greatly help the Department's continuing efforts to extend our reach to
disadvantaged business enterprises and to increase their chances of
success."
Minority/Women
Business Enterprise Alliance, Inc. is one of eight TEAMs from across the country
that are partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide
information about contracting opportunities to Disadvantaged Business
Enterprises (DBEs). Others are in
Atlanta; Seattle/Tacoma; New York; Milwaukee; Chicago; Oakland, CA; and
Washington, DC.
"We
are pleased to be partnering with the Minority/Women Business Enterprise
Alliance, Inc., in Orlando. It and
TEAMs like it are key to the development and growth of DBE firms," OSDBU
Director Sean Moss said. "When
he was in Congress, Secretary Mineta supported the DBE program by inserting
language into the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991.
He is a longtime advocate of greater opportunity for small disadvantaged
businesses."
DOT
enters into cooperative agreements with chambers of commerce, trade
associations, business organizations, and for-profit entities to represent the
OSDBU and the small-business community at the local level.
Specifically, TEAMs try to increase the number of small and disadvantaged
businesses that enter into transportation-related contracts, increase the number
of firms that receive surety bonds and working capital through OSDBU's financial
assistance programs, and increase the number of businesses participating in
hands-on training in order to become more successful at winning contracts.
A
DBE is a for-profit small business concern that is operated and at least 51
percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically
disadvantaged.
The mission of the OSDBU is to increase small, minority, women-owned and
disadvantaged business participation in OSDBU financial assistance programs and
contracting opportunities around the nation.
The
Minority/Women Business Enterprise Alliance, Inc., is DOT's Southern TEAM.
Its President is Ann Brown Payne, and the Project Director, Shirley
Walker. The Alliance has offices at
625 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. The phone number is 407-428-5860; fax
407-428-5869; and email, abrownpayne@allianceflorida.com.
DOT's
TEAM manager is Arthur D. Jackson, Chief of Field Operations, DOT Surety Bond
Division, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 9414 Washington, DC 20590. His phone
number is 1-800-532-1169 ext. 65344; fax, 202-366-7538; and email, art.jackson@ost.dot.gov.
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