Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Supportive Services

Project Details
STATUS

Completed

PROJECT NUMBER

16-589

START DATE

08/01/16

END DATE

11/24/20

RESEARCH CENTERS InTrans, CMAT
SPONSORS

Iowa Department of Transportation

Researchers
Principal Investigator
Jennifer Shane

Director, CMAT

About the research

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) distributes funds to help state transportation agencies (STAs), including the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), carry out the activities of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services (DBE/SS) program. Under the program, the Civil Rights team within the Office of Employee Services at the Iowa DOT provides supportive services to Iowa-based DBEs in collaboration with CPMI, Inc. and the Construction Management and Technology (CMAT) Program at Iowa State University’s Institute for Transportation (InTrans).

This report synthesizes information about the supportive services that CMAT developed by (1) conducting a needs analysis, (2) exploring the state of the practice, and (3) developing and delivering those supportive services to Iowa-certified DBE firms. These supportive services included but were not limited to website development support, short-take videos, networking events, and training and workshop offerings.

This work uncovered DBE characteristics nationwide and in Iowa, revealed challenges in offering DBE supportive services, and identified useful supportive services for DBE firms. In summary, the DBE supportive services program provides a wide range of supportive services in various modes such as networking events, workshops, and training.

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