DBE Certified Firms Take Advantage of Infrastructure Spending

The Administration Recently Announced Over $220 Billion in Infrastructure Funding to Over 32,000 Projects Across 4,500 Communities Throughout the U.S.

As part of the Administration’s ‘Investing in America’ agenda, the federal government has committed billions in infrastructure projects across the country. This is being called the infrastructure decade with a commitment to public and private spending to rebuild our roads and bridges, and expand ports, airports, rail, and transit systems, among other infrastructure-related projects, using Made in America materials, built by American workers.

Currently, the administration has announced over $220 Billion in funding derived from the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. These funds are allocated towards more than 32,000 targeted projects spanning 4,500 communities across the U.S., including all states, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories.

The scale of this endeavor is evidenced by the employment of over 5,000 federal personnel to drive its execution. Additionally, states and territories have appointed dedicated infrastructure coordinators to ensure seamless coordination with the federal government.

The DBE Certification is open to small, socially and economically disadvantaged businesses (including women-owned businesses) to participate in DOT-assisted contracting.

The certification is done on the state level and applies to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) assisted projects.

Federal money is allocated to state level projects like highways, roads, bridges, airports, rail, transit systems, etc. These projects are directed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), all under the DOT.

Businesses in construction, maintenance, engineering, design, planning, consulting, project management, food vendors, etc. are all candidates for this certification.

DBE Certification is not only for transportation-related businesses, but other less obvious businesses can benefit too. For example, janitorial and facility maintenance businesses are needed to manage transportation hubs such as airports, public transportation centers, and highway rest areas. Janitorial firms can work at construction sites or in debris collection.

Another good example is security guard businesses. Although not directly related to transportation, these businesses are needed for work related to guarding airports, seaports, trains, and rail stations, etc. There are other industries such as IT services, marketing, signage, etc., not directly related to transportation but who benefit from a DBE Certification.

The DBE Certification program is also good for subcontracting with major prime contractors in these fields, which need to meet DBE contracting goals. The DBE program was established to ensure at least 10% of the funds authorized for highway and transit-related projects receiving federal funding are expended on DBE Certified businesses.

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