The Washington State Department of Transportation proposed new overall goals for disadvantaged business enterprise or DBE participation for all of its federally funded transportation projects on June 22 and will accept written comments about them through July 24.

[Photo by WSDOT.]

The agency noted in a statement that the purpose of its DBE program is to create a “level playing field” for firms 51 percent owned by an individual or individuals who are women, part of a federally recognized racial minority group, or otherwise socially and economically disadvantaged.

The proposed overall DBE goals – slated to be applied to projects initiated between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2023 – are available at:

• Federal Highways Administration funded projects – currently experiencing 19 percent DBE participation
• Federal Transit Administration funded projects– currently experiencing 4.8 percent DBE participation
• Federal Aviation Administration funded projects– currently experiencing 10.4 percent DBE participation

WSDOT added that it has scheduled three public meetings to elicit feedback regarding its DBE proposals, with its July 6 and 8 meetings to be held via online webinars while its July 10 meeting will be held via telephone conference call.