Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services (DBE/SS) Program

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services (DBE/SS) Program is one that has been consistently operated as an adjunct to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program; statutory authorization exists for the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) implementation of the program. The primary purpose of the DBE/SS is to provide training, assistance, and services to DBE firms certified in the DBE program so as to increase their activity in the program, and to facilitate the firms' development into viable, self-sufficient organizations capable of competing for, and performing on federally assisted highway projects. Since 1982, Congress has authorized up to $10 million, annually, to accomplish these objectives.

FHWA annually apportions the DBE/SS funds to STAs for the purpose of carrying out a DBE/SS program. The FHWA approves the funding of STA programs only if they demonstrate the ability to directly assist certified DBEs’ development through identifiable, metric-based results.

Contacts/phone numbers/email addresses

Martha Kenley
National DBE Program Manager
(202) 366-8110

Authorities

23 CFR 230.201-207, Subpart B
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=eabb59df0986dff1a05006acf911d890&rgn=div6&view=text&node=23:1.0.1.3.8.2&idno=23

MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (P.L. 112-141)
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/workforcedbe.cfm