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Civil Rights/Affirmative Action
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
Small, minority and/or women-owned disadvantaged business owners can
benefit from the federal
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program managed by The
New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).
The DBE program is intended to foster equal opportunity, while it
reduces burdens among disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE). Through
it, a diverse pool of certified
DBE firms can participate in all NJDOT procurements.
The program certifies eligible businesses to participate in U.S. DOT-assisted
projects. NJDOT’s DBE goal for 2008 is 15.6 percent participation
in federally assisted highway projects.
The DBE Program requires that the applicant must be a citizen of the
United States, and must have a for-profit business. The Frequently
Asked Questions page contains other criteria
for certification.
Before applying,
business owners should be aware of federal regulation 49 CFR Part
23 and Part
26 about certification for DBE applicants. They should review
NJDOT’s brochure
(pdf 47k) about certification, then follow
the step-by-step instructions
(pdf 28k) for completing the application
forms that are available online.
DBE Certification can also mean a business owner is eligible for certification
in the Emerging
Small Business Enterprises Program (ESBE) — a race and gender-neutral
program based primarily on economic criteria, managed by NJDOT. DBE
certified business owners can compete for federally funded contracts.
While there are advantages to DBE certification, such as a listing
in the State
of New Jersey Unified Certification Program Business Directory
and receiving notices of bid advertisements free of charge, it takes
time to process an application and to grant certification.
Updated regularly, this publication
lists company names, addresses, phone numbers, contact persons, certification
expiration dates and the work classification(s) of certified DBE firms.
It is a valuable tool for prime contractors and consultants seeking
to achieve their subcontracting goals. It is also available by calling
NJDOT at 609.530.3882.
The Bureau of Construction
Services in the Division of Procurement can pre-qualify
a business after a review procedure that enables the professional
consultant or the contractor to bid on work before the DBE certification
is awarded.
Another program, the Small
Business Enterprise (SBE) Set Aside Program, a race and gender
neutral program, allows small businesses to bid on state contracts.
A state program, it is managed by the
NJ Commerce Commission, and requires state agencies and authorities
to conduct a minimum of 25 percent of its business with SBEs. Companies
must register through the NJ Commerce Commission.
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