Archive for March, 2010
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces More Than $1.3 Billion in Recovery Act Funds Have Gone to Economically Disadvantaged Businesses
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today opened a summit on helping small, disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses by announcing that under the Obama Administration more than $1.3 billion worth of Economic Recovery Act contracts have gone to these kinds of small businesses.
Secretary LaHood welcomed more than 700 small and disadvantaged business owners, government executives and representatives of major corporations to “The Road to Recovery,” a two-day summit to help small firms owned and controlled by economically disadvantaged individuals compete for U.S. Department of Transportation contracts.
“We’ve made significant strides over the last year in reaching out to small businesses around the country and providing the tools they need to compete and to thrive in this tough economy,” said Secretary LaHood. “The contracts we have awarded have kept a lot of small businesses going and many jobs were saved or created.”
Secretary LaHood said there was more potential revenue for these firms in the pipeline, as many of the largest stimulus projects in the country will get under way this spring.
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If Caltrans Ends Furloughs?
According to a new article by The State Worker, if Caltrans is required to end the furloughs and pay backpay to employees, layoffs would be likely. Read Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Cindy McKim ‘s declaration for more information.
TIGER Plan Supports DOT Projects
FastCompany.com recently highlighted the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, plan. The plan injects money into the nation’s infrastructure by improving our aging aging bridges and highways. Read FastCompany.com’s take on the issue and the offical DOT press release.
Minority Business Receiving Fewer Stimulus Contracts
Hispanic and black businesses are receiving a disproportionately small number of federal stimulus contracts, creating a rising chorus of demands for the Obama administration to be more inclusive and more closely track who receives government-financed work.
Read more from the AP
USDOT DBE Bonding Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation has established a DBE Bonding Assistance Program that will provide reimbursements to small and disadvantaged businesses for the bonding premiums and fees they incur when they compete for or perform work on projects funded by ARRA. Assistance is available to prime contractors or subcontractors working at any tier.
More information about this program is available on the USDOT’s website at: http://osdbu.dot.gov/bap/.
LAO Report Recommends Caltrans Cut Jobs
The Legislative Analyst’s Office issued a report recommending Caltrans eliminate 1,500 jobs in its highway construction division due to inefficiencies and overstaffing. Caltrans responded, saying they are in the process of reviewing the report, but disagree that they are overstaffed. Caltrans says they are “committed to ensuring that the public’s tax dollars are used as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
Read the entire LAO report.
US DOT Awards Nearly $10 Million in Training Grants for DBEs
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced $9.9 million in grants to provide training and other services to minority- and women-owned businesses in 33 states to help them compete for highway contracts.
“By helping small businesses like DBEs, this program enriches the competition for federal highway contracts,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “More vigorous competition not only results in lower costs to taxpayers for roads and bridges, but more jobs for workers.”
See a breakdown by state at the DOT website.
