People with an interest in disadvantaged-business participation for transportation projects funded in part by the Federal Transit Administration have an opportunity to learn more about participation goals and to provide comments.

Every three years, agencies that receive funding assistance from the FTA must propose an overall Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation goal. The goal of the DBE program is to create a “level playing field” for firms owned and operated by disadvantaged individuals that want to participate in federally assisted projects related to highways, airports and transit.

The Washington State Department of Transportation evaluated the DBE-eligible firms and the number of FTA-funded projects in prior and upcoming years. Based on that evaluation, WSDOT is proposing a 3.26 percent participation goal. The proposed goal is for FTA-assisted projects during federal fiscal year 2014 to 2016 (Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2016).

So that businesses and individuals can learn more about the program and the proposed goal, WSDOT will host a webinar Friday, Aug. 16, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Participants can register online any time before the webinar.

WSDOT will consider all comments as well as other quantitative or anecdotal material before submitting its final DBE goals to FTA on Sept. 20. Written comments on the overall DBE goals will be accepted until Sept. 16.

Send comments to:

Jackie Bayne, Business Development & Compliance Consultant

WSDOT, Office of Equal Opportunity

P.O. Box 47314

Olympia, WA 98504-7314

Email: BayneJ@wsdot.wa.gov

Documents detailing WSDOT’s DBE goals and the methodology used for determining the FTA DBE goal are available for review at WSDOT headquarters and all WSDOT regional headquarters offices. These documents are also available online.