Contractors, trade and labor organizations, small and disadvantaged businesses, and others who are interested in doing business with the Washington State Department of Transportation are invited to comment on the agency’s proposed overall Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goal for Federal Aviation Administration funded contracts. WSDOT is proposing a 6.9 percent overall DBE participation goal on FAA funded projects for federal fiscal years 2015 through 2017 (Oct. 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2017).

The purpose of the DBE program is to create a level playing field for firms owned and operated by disadvantaged individuals wanting to participate in federally assisted highway, transit and aviation programs. DBE goals for federally funded transportation projects represent a percentage of the value of work in which minority- and women-owned businesses should participate.

WSDOT will host a public meeting to discuss the proposed DBE goals from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the WSDOT Northwest Region Headquarters, 15700 Dayton Ave. N., Shoreline. Those who can’t attend the Shoreline meeting can participate in a webinar from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 10. To register for the webinar, email DBESS@wsdot.wa.gov.

Documents detailing the methodology used for determining the DBE goals are available for review at all WSDOT region headquarters offices and at the Transportation Building, 310 Maple Park Ave. S.E. in Olympia. They are also available online at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/equalopportunity/.

WSDOT will consider all written comments received through July 31, 2014. Comments should be sent to:

Jackie Bayne, Business Development & Compliance Consultant

Washington State Department of Transportation

Office of Equal Opportunity

P.O. Box 47314

Olympia, WA 98504-7314

Or email: BayneJ@wsdot.wa.gov