DBE & Small Business Equity

This site has been developed with the objective of providing assistance and outreach to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and Small Businesses that want to work on the City's contracts. Prospective DBEs can locate Albany's current contracting opportunities at the City's RFP, RFQ, & Bids page.

The City receives Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) federal-aid from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and as a condition of receiving such assistance has committed to comply with Caltrans' DBE Program Manual in accordance with federal regulations published under Title 49 CFR, Part 26, Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures Manual (LAPM) and subsequent Guidance. In accordance with these regulations it is the City's policy is to ensure that minority-owned, women-owned, and other disadvantaged small businesses can fairly compete for and perform on contracts and subcontracts financed in whole, or in part with DOT funds.

The City will apply DBE project goals on a contract-by-contract basis, the DBE goal will be published in the "Notice Inviting Bids" for each Federally-funded project. To be eligible to count towards the DBE goal, DBE firms must be certified with the State of California Unified Certification Program (CUCP).

California Unified Certification Program (CUCP)

Learn more about how to become a DBE certified firm with the California Unified Certification Program (CUCP), including criteria which must be satisfied. This website will assist you with the DBE certification process:

Along with DBEs serving as the prime contractor for City contracts, the City strongly encourages the use of DBE certified subcontractors/subconsultants. To assist prime's in their search for DBE certified firms, the California Unified Certification Program (CUCP) database directory can be found here:

Resources

Office of Business & Economic Opportunity (OBEO)

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Office of Business & Economic Opportunity (OBEO) is dedicated to increasing the participation of Small Business (SB), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) firms in both Federal and State contracting and procurement.

To access their multitude of resources, visit the Office of Business & Economic Opportunity website

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services (DBE/SS)

Caltrans has developed a DBE Supportive Services program with the primary purpose providing training, assistance, and services to certified DBEs. The goal is to increase their activity in the program and facilitate the firms' development into viable, self-sufficient organizations capable of competing for, and performing on Federally- assisted highway projects.

On The Job Training Supportive Services (OJT/SS)

Caltrans' OJT/SS Program provides pre-apprenticeship training to increase the participation of women, minorities, and other disadvantaged individuals in skilled and semi-skilled crafts on federal-aid highway construction contracts. Any Disadvantaged Business Enterprise can contact the regional provider for their district to receive DBE Supportive Services.

Find your regional On The Job Training Supportive Services Provider

Small Business Administration (SBA)

To develop and improve immediate and long-term business management, record keeping, and financial and accounting capability, the City encourages DBEs and other small businesses to visit the Small Business Administration's resources page, specifically tailored to be responsive to small business needs.

The Southwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC)

The Southwest SBTRC serves the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada. It is their mission to grow and empower small business concerns throughout the region through Access, Education, and Opportunity. Through its programs and services it provides local businesses with the resources and tools necessary for success and connects them to opportunities to grow their business.

The Southwest SBTRC provides an array of technical assistance to build the capacity of small and disadvantaged businesses that include:

  • Business Analyses
  • Market Research and Procurement Assistance
  • General Management & Technical Assistance
  • Business Counseling & Coaching
  • Regional Planning Committees
  • Liaison between Prime Contractors and Sub-Contractors
  • Outreach/Conference Participation
  • Capital Access and Surety Bond Assistance
  • Women & Girls In Transportation Initiative (WITI)

Find more information on the Southwest Small Business Transportation Resource Center website.

Disadvantaged Business Bonding Assistance

The City is committed to the growth of Disadvantaged Businesses within the City's market area and regularly communicates with its subcontracting community to identify possible barriers to the growth and success of Disadvantaged Businesses. The City recognizes that a firm's ability to obtain performance and payment bonds can pose a significant barrier to their ability to win public sector contracts and for those firms that are able to obtain bonds, being able to bond adequately may also often pose a barrier to working on public contracts.

The Caltrans/SBA Bonding Assistance Initiative is valuable resource available to you. This initiative offers a technical assistance surety bond guarantee program to promote increased small business participation in Caltrans, State highway and transit projects.

This initiative provides a viable means to advance the unimpeded participation of all willing, ready, and able construction contractors and subcontractors, professional architectural and engineering firms, suppliers and truckers, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or physical disability to participate in the State's Contracting Program.

SBA's Surety Bond Guarantee Program helps eligible small businesses obtain bid, performance and payment bonds by guaranteeing surety companies between 70% and 90% of the bond amount.

SBA's Surety Bond Guarantee Program contains two components: Prior Approval Program and Preferred Program. For more information, please visit the Small Business Administration website.

You may also contact or visit your nearest SBA office listed below:

San Francisco District Office
455 Market Street Suite 600
San Francisco, CA
Phone: 415-744-6820

Sacramento District Office
6501 Sylvan Road Suite 100
Citrus Heights, CA
Phone: 916-735-1700
Fax: 916-735-1719

Fresno District Office
801 R Street Suite 201
Fresno, CA
Phone: 559-487-5791
Fax: 559-487-5636

Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

The City of Albany promotes equal opportunity and non-discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, physical handicap, medical condition, marital status or other interests protected by state and federal law. The City strongly values contract participation by minority owned and women owned businesses. However, the City is unfortunately restricted in its ability to implement any form of preference program associated with those groups on City contracts based on limitations imposed under the California Constitution, which do not permit any public agency in the state to grant preferential treatment to any entity "on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin" in public contracting. (Cal. Const., art. I, § 31.) This constitutional restriction, which is commonly referred to as Proposition 209, was approved by voters in 1996. An effort to overturn this restriction placed on the November 2020 ballot (Proposition 16) was not approved by voters. The only exception to the bar under Proposition 209 is for federally funded projects where the City has historically and will continue to fully and actively promote participation by minority owned and women owned businesses.

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