Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Businesses

 

To enter into successful partnerships between OSDBU and chambers of commerce, community-based organizations, colleges and universities, community colleges, or trade associations, to establish regional Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs) to provide business assessment, technical assistance, technical assistance referrals, business training, and the dissemination of information regarding DOT and DOT funded contracting opportunities, as well as OSDBU services to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Small Business (SB) community in their regions.

Active 20.910 Office of The Secretary, Department of Transportation B - Project Grants; Z - Salaries and Expenses Fiscal Year 2016 a.) Conferences: The SBTRCs participate in conferences to share resources and knowledge within/beyond the transportation learning community, communicating to the public the needs and contributions of transportation. Also, to build partnership linkages in order to promote transportation programs in a seamless manner. We estimate in FY16 the SBTRCs will participate in 205 conferences and provide procurement assistance to an estimated 3,600 DBEs. b.) Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) Workshops: The SBTRCs work with OSDBU’s STLP participating lenders to organize seminars and workshops on this accounts receivable financial access program that is available to eligible DBEs and small businesses. The seminars and workshops cover the entire STLP process, form completion of the STLP loan application and preparation of the loan package to approval and loan management. We estimate in FY16 the SBTRCs will conduct 52 workshops. c.) Bonding Education Program (BEP) The SBTRCs in partnership with Surety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) combine classroom instruction and one-on-one meetings with surety professionals to help small businesses obtain a bonding line and apply that capacity to transportation related projects. This effort is facilitated by DOT’s network of regional offices, the SBTRCs around the country, as program partners whose role is to provide outreach, logistics, technical assistance, and coordination for the local program efforts. In FY16 will estimate the SBTRCs will conduct 68 Bonding Education Programs in various cities across the country. d.) Women In Transportation Initiative An SBTRC created transportation-focused career awareness program designed to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program also advances the development of professional potential by providing quality educational experiences, training, and employment opportunities to students interested in transportation related careers. Annually students are placed in internships with small businesses, federal, state, and local transportation agencies. The students gained valuable work experience to assist them in future career choices. We estimate in FY16 the SBTRCs will recruit 30 students to participate in the internship. a.) Conferences: The SBTRCs participate in conferences to share resources and knowledge within/beyond the transportation learning community, communicating to the public the needs and contributions of transportation. Also, to build partnership linkages in order to promote transportation programs in a seamless manner. We estimate in FY17 the SBTRCs will participate in 205 conferences and provide procurement assistance to an estimated 3,600 DBEs. b.) Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) Workshops: The SBTRCs work with OSDBU’s STLP participating lenders to organize seminars and workshops on this accounts receivable financial access program that is available to eligible DBEs and small businesses. The seminars and workshops cover the entire STLP process, form completion of the STLP loan application and preparation of the loan package to approval and loan management. We estimate in FY17 the SBTRCs will conduct 65 workshops. c.) Bonding Education Program (BEP) The SBTRCs in partnership with Surety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) combine classroom instruction and one-on-one meetings with surety professionals to help small businesses obtain a bonding line and apply that capacity to transportation related projects. This effort is facilitated by DOT’s network of regional offices, the SBTRCs around the country, as program partners whose role is to provide outreach, logistics, technical assistance, and coordination for the local program efforts. In FY17 will estimate the SBTRCs will conduct 26 Bonding Education Programs in various cities across the country. d.) Women In Transportation Initiative An SBTRC created transportation-focused career awareness program designed to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program also advances the development of professional potential by providing quality educational experiences, training, and employment opportunities to students interested in transportation related careers. Annually students are placed in internships with small businesses, federal, state, and local transportation agencies. The students gained valuable work experience to assist them in future career choices. We estimate in FY17 the SBTRCs will recruit 26 students to participate in the internship.
Fiscal Year 2017 This program provided over 2,000 hours of business development counseling and technical assistance to over 900 small businesses. Additionally, the program assisted small business in obtaining over 25 million in contracting opportunities.
Fiscal Year 2019 The Small Business Transportation Resource Center program provided the following: 1. Over 3,000 hours of small business development technical assistance and counseling 2. Assisted over 2,000 small businesses nationwide with program services 3. Assisted small businesses in obtaining over 20 million dollars in bonding through our Bonding Education Program 4. Assisted small businesses in securing over 30 million dollars in federal contracts
Fiscal Year 2020 1. We assisted over 1,000 small businesses providing 2,200 counseling hours. 2. Our clients were awarded over $38 million in federal contracts. 3. Our clients secured more than $37 million in bonding. 4. Our clients secured more than $12 million in capital 5. Our centers conducted over 100 webinars to assist small businesses with understanding and securing bonding, capital, identifying contracting opportunities, mitigating barriers to securing contracts, and other vital technical assistance
Fiscal Year 2022 We funded all of our SBTRCs, which implemented our technical assistance programs for small businesses in each region. The Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, Title 49, Section 332, Public Law 95-507 Established 501 C(6) tax-exempt Chambers of Commerce, Trade Associations and 501 C(3) nonprofit organization, community colleges, minority educational institutions, tribal colleges and universities that have the documented experience and capacity necessary to successfully operate and administer a coordinated, Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) within their regions. For the purpose of this program, the term small businesses refers to: 8 (a), small disadvantaged business (SDB), disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE), women-owned small business (WOB), HubZone, service- disabled veteran-owned business, and veteran owned small business. Must be an established 501 C(3) or 501 C(6) tax exempt organization and provide documentation as verification. No application will be accepted without proof of IRS tax exempt status. Have at least one year of documented and continuous experience prior to the date of application in providing advocacy, outreach, and technical assistance to small businesses within the region in which proposed services will be provided. Have an office physically located within the proposed city in the designated headquarters state in the region for which applicant is submitting the proposal that is readily accessible to the public. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel and selection will be made based upon the evaluation criteria included in the announcement. The Department of Transportation, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will award the Cooperative Agreements. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. Not applicable. Awards competed, at a minimum of, every 3 years. OSDBU has the option to extend the grant beyond the 1st year for two additional option years, without re-competing the grant Proposals are rated as pass/fail based on the following factors: Approach and Strategy; Linkages; Organizational Capability; Staff Capabilities and Experience; and Cost. The OSDBU Regional SBTRCs provide business analysis, business counseling and coaching, market research, procurement assistance, serve as liaison between prime contractors and sub-contractors, assistance with access to capital, implement U.S. DOT’s Bonding Education Program, implement U.S. DOT’s Women In Transportation Initiative, and outreach to all small businesses to disseminate pertinent information that support the economic development of small business and DBEs. Not applicable. DOT's Inspector General and the Comptroller General of the United States may at all reasonable times investigate and conduct audits in the offices of the recipient, all documents, papers, books and records, relevant to the execution and implementation of the conditions of this agreement. Recipient is required to retain all documents, files, books, and records relevant to the execution and implementation of the conditions of this agreement for a period of not less than 3 years, except, if any litigation, dispute, exception, or audit is commenced, the records and other materials shall be retained until the litigation, dispute, exception, or audit is judicially or administratively made final. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Awards are generally made for a minimum of 12 months with 2 option years based on performance and funds availability Obligated annually None/Not specified. Peter Kontakos
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, DC 20590 US
peter.kontakos@dot.gov
Phone: (202) 366-2253
Fax: (202) 366-7228 http://www.transportation.gov/osdbu 69-0119-0-1-407 (Salaries and Expenses) FY 22$2,076,015.00; FY 23 est $2,076,015.00; FY 24 est $2,475,734.00; - Average of $200,000 DOT Code of Federal Regulations Parts 26 and 23 as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises; Public Law 95-507; Section 8,15, and 31 of the Small Business Act as amended; OMB 2 CFR 200; Title 49 Subtitle I, Chapter 3, Subchapter II Sec. 332, the Minority Resource Center. Fiscal Year 2016 OSDBU grants are not project specific. The program will continue to support; internships, education, conferences, seminars and workshops. OSDBU grants are not project specific. The program will continue to support business counseling, internships, education, conferences, seminars and workshops.
Fiscal Year 2021 Successful recipients will have the capacity to design and carry out programs to assist small disadvantaged businesses in getting transportation-related contracts and subcontracts; develop support mechanisms, including management and technical services, that will enable small disadvantaged businesses to take advantage of those business opportunities; and to make arrangements to carry out the above purposes.
Fiscal Year 2022 Funded the USDOT Small Business Transporation Resource Centers (SBTRC).