Public invited to comment on new goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program is designed to assist small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, including minorities and women, in participating in contract opportunities created by USDOT financial assistance programs. The program also helps small nonminority-owned businesses participate in contract opportunities. The three major DOT operating administrations involved in the DBE program are Highway (FHWA), Aviation (FAA) and Transit (FTA).

Because MARC is a recipient of planning, capital or operating assistance from FTA and awards prime contracts, we are required by the USDOT to have a DBE Program. Among other things, DBE regulations require recipients of USDOT financial assistance to establish goals for the participation of DBEs. Our current DBE participation goal is 205, which we’ve consistently met.

Every three years, we must recalculate our goal based on an established USDOT goal calculation methodology and make changes to the program as necessary. MARC’s proposed goal for 2025-2027 is 20 percent. Related agencies’ current DBE goals include the city of Kansas City, Missouri, and KC Streetcar at 24%, Kansas City Airport at 16%, MoDOT at 15%, KDOT at 8% and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority at 24%.