The DBE Outreach Program is the “Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program” and is a United States Department of Transportation (DOT) program that is designed to provide Federal-aid highway dollars to ensure there is non discrimination in the awarding and administering of DOT-assisted contracts. Learn more about this program below.
The DBE Outreach Program is designed to increase the participation of women-owned and minority-owned businesses in industries where those types of businesses have been vastly underrepresented and unable to obtain such contracts. It does this by obligating contractors that bid on public work to also include a minimum percentage of certified DBE subcontractors and material suppliers for those projects.
The DBE Outreach Program is crucial for subcontractors because it forces contractors to include a wider field of subcontractors that are often overlooked and not considered for important public works projects. Before such a program was enacted, many businesses in specialized fields that were owned and operated by women, minorities, and other disadvantaged individuals were often left out of such lucrative public work. Contractors would set up business arrangements and partnerships with important clients such as sections of the government, then filter that work out to subcontractors. Under the DBE Outreach Program, contractors are required to include such disadvantaged subcontractors when deciding who would do the work. Subcontractors, particularly those that are disadvantaged individuals of society need this type of program to “level the playing field” and ensure they have an equal opportunity to receive such lucrative, important work.
Contact us to learn more about our company, services, and how we can help to ensure you include a diverse group of subcontractors when filtering out work of important clients such as the U.S. Government.
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