Disadvantaged Businesses Miss Out on Millions as States Miss DBE Spending Goals

Georgia Government Contracts and Procurement Team leader Keith Wiener spoke with the Kansas City Business Journal about the U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) program and state DBE spending targets. Launched in 1983, the program aims to reduce hurdles for women- and minority-owned companies trying to start or grow business by requiring that government agencies that rely on federal transportation funding set goals for spending with these companies. According to federal data, state departments of transportation hit their goals about 55 percent of the time between 2014 and 2020, potentially costing DBEs millions in additional revenue. Business owners say significant hurdles remain, such as prime contractors wanting to work with the same, non-DBE subcontractors. Mr. Wiener expressed his surprise at that statistic.

"I'd have to say it's surprising to me it's that high of a number," he said. "I would have thought it would have been lower."

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