What is DBEDI?

The purpose of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development Initiative (DBEDI) is to build further capacity, support growth, and provide development opportunities for selected Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) who seek certification in the State of Wisconsin’s transportation industry.

Successful participants will become part of the DBEDI partnership of minority, women, veteran and other historically disadavantaged-owned businesses (DBE) Master Class.

DBEDI PURPOSE

The purpose of the Construction Business Group’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development Initiative (DBEDI) is to build further capacity, support growth, and provide development opportunities for selected Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) who seek certification in the State of Wisconsin’s transportation industry. The goal of DBEDI is to work with at least 15 small businesses that are currently certified or have been seeking their certification in 2022. Working closely with WisDOT’s Office of Business Equity and Opportunity Compliance, DBEDI facilitated various opportunities for DBE utilization.   

 Our commitment to the road building industry is to build better DBEs for utilization by applying the following strategy: 

• Creates development opportunities for selected DBEs
• Provides technical support for WisDOT certification
• Assists with growth strategies
• Provides assessments on where the DBE can upscale
• Strategizes entry points into the roadbuilding industry
• Determines selection into the DBEDI Master Class

 The last bullet point is at the heart of our purpose which we will identify successful participants that will become part of the DBEDI partnership of minority, women, veteran and other historically disadvantaged-owned businesses Master Class. 

Partnership with WTBA

The Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association (WTBA) and Operating Engineers Local 139 performed an internal assessment of the future growth of the industry.  The federal regulatory requirement concerning the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) would be one of their top key performance indicators on growing the market in the road paving industry.

Their conclusion was that they had to be more intentional with building more capacity in their DBE partners.  With this strategy, the federal requirements would be met, and the subcontracting market could respond to the opportunity of utilization while providing excellent performance on the job-site.

DBEDI-CONTACT US

CONTACT US:

For more information on DBEDI’s Master Class or the DBEDI program in general, please fill out the following form and someone will respond to you.

For additional Information, please contact: