March 25, 2009 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) reports that interest is high in its 29th Annual Small Business Development Conference, which is taking place March 30-31, at the Marriott Hotel in Pontiac. This annual two-day conference is aimed at helping and strengthening companies headed by women and minorities to successfully compete for bids on contracts with MDOT. Breakout sessions are scheduled to cover a wide range of topics including multi-modal contracting opportunities, bid preparation techniques, and contractor performance ratings.

The conference provides an opportunity to inform and educate independent companies and service providers about growth opportunities in Michigan and to provide a networking forum for participants. Terrence Hicks, MDOT's small business development director, will provide participants with an update of the program. MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle and Chief Deputy Director Jackie Shinn will participate in Monday's conference events. Monday's keynote speaker will be motivational speaker Pegine Echevarria, who will talk about "Taking Responsibility for Your Success." Jackie Jerome Marks, special advisor to Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on policy and political issues, will deliver Tuesday's keynote address, "The Importance of Small Business to Michigan's Economy." A roundtable discussion featuring MDOT region engineers is scheduled for Tuesday.

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program operates under U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines. The U.S. Congress DBE statutory provision, which was amended in 1987 to include gender along with ethnicity, was designed to level the playing field for companies owned by those who historically have been affected by discrimination.

As part of the DBE program, the Small Business Development Conference will provide information about gaining access to state resources and various forms of professional qualifications.

Authorization for the DBE program comes from 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26 (49 CFR 26). Under the Granholm administration, MDOT has increased by 100 percent the number of DBE firms that have been certified since 2002. The state awarded DBE firms more than $115 million in contracts during fiscal year 2008.

The DBE conference is sold out and no longer accepting reservations. For more information about the DBE program, contact the MDOT Office of Business Development at 866-323-1264, or on the Web at www.michigan.gov/mdot .

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