| Friday, July 25, 2008 Weather for: Lansing, MI |  | Mostly Cloudy
66 F (19 C) | Last Updated on Jul 24, 10:53 pm EDT |
|  |
 Printer Friendly
 Text Version  Email Page
| MDOT works to increase DBE participation
Contact:
Bill Shreck 517-335-3084
Agency:
Transportation
|
March 28, 2008 - - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) this week announced two new programs designed to create a more diverse workforce and to increase participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) on federally funded state road construction projects.
"We are focused on breaking down barriers to getting more people involved in federally-funded state construction projects, whether it is an employee or a business owner," said Terrence Hicks, director of MDOT's Office of Business Development. "The Granholm administration is focused on eliminating barriers and improving access; and changing that tradition requires multiple approaches, and these new initiatives have already begun to bear fruit."
The programs announced this week have already begun to impact the state's workforce at the apprenticeship level, while creating more business opportunities for DBE firms.
- The Small Project DBE Goal Setting pilot project targets federally funded state road projects up to $1 million and calls for a 25-30 percent participation level by DBE firms. This program is designed to increase the number of DBEs performing major work with MDOT. Nine projects already have been identified, and three companies are working with DBE firms as a result of the program.
- The Road Construction Apprentice Readiness Program is currently training apprentices in Detroit, Flint, and mid-Michigan through a five-week program that helps women, minorities and low-income individuals prepare and compete for internships as carpenters, cement masons, iron workers, laborers, and operating engineers. This program is made possible through a partnership between the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, MDOT, and Michigan Works!
These new initiatives underscore the Granholm administration's urban agenda and her commitment to providing better opportunities for traditionally disadvantaged businesses.
The programs will be announced at MDOT's 28th Annual Small Business Conference, Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, at the Marriott Centerpoint Hotel in Pontiac. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program works to ensure that firms owned and controlled by minorities, women and other socially and economically disadvantaged persons have the opportunity to grow and become self-sufficient.
The DBE program is a federal program operating under the guidance of the United State Department of Transportation. Authorization for the 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 $122 million in contracts during fiscal year 2007.
For more information, contact the MDOT Office of Business Development at 866-323-1264, or on the Web at www.michigan.gov/mdot.
Ice and Snow, Take It Slow Remember: Don't Crowd the Plow
|
|
|
|
