Free Online Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Training Program

About the Training

In early March of 2009, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2009 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Annual Overall Goal. FHWA's approval required the immediate implementation of the new DBE Program that includes a Race Conscious component (RC DBE Program). Effective immediately, Caltrans and local agencies receiving Federal-Aid funds must transition to the new RC DBE Program.

With funding from Caltrans, Tech Transfer developed an online training program called Administering the New DBE Program for California Agencies to help local agencies learn how to meet the requirements of the RC DBE Program required for all Federal-Aid funded projects.

The comprehensive, self-guided online training program runs approximately 80 minutes and covers the following topics:

• DBE Program requirements
• How to calculate an Annual Anticipated DBE Participation Level (AADPL) goal with Race Conscious and Race Neutral portions using NAICS codes and the CBP and CUCP databases
• How to calculate goals by contract and the Race Neutral measures agencies can use to help obtain goals
• Good Faith Effort, including evaluation and the appeals process
• DBE reporting requirements before and after contract award

AADPL Calculation Worksheet

Use the AADPL Calculation Worksheet to record data regarding Annual Anticipated DBE Percentage Level. Instructions for how to use the worksheet are included in the online training program.

DBE References

• 49 CFR PART 26
• California Unified Certification Program (CUCP)
• Caltrans Civil Rights
• Caltrans Local Assistance
• Census Bureau NAICS search
• Caltrans Local Assistance Forms
• Caltrans DBE Implementation Agreement for Local Agencies
• DBE Program Plan
• DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
• Caltrans Race Conscious DBE Program Implementation FAQ
• U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP)