Diverse business programs

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

We offer help for businesses certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) as part of our commitment to equal opportunity in contracting. DBE is a program meant to prevent discrimination in federally-assisted highway, transit and airport contracts.

Upcoming Trainings

• DBE 101 External Training (272KB)
• DBE 101 and 201 Internal Training (206KB)

Certification as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

To be recognized as a DBE by WSDOT, you must become certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

DBE support services

Businesses certified as DBE can contact the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) for immediate, free business counseling and technical assistance. Our support services provide help through:

• Targeting technical assistance on a range of business topics
• Accessing construction plans, specifications, and manuals
• Receiving announcements of outreach and training
• One-on-one counseling
• Support in creating business plans for company growth
• Classroom style training

For more information, see our DBE Support Services Program Flyer (PDF 259KB).

DBE policy documents

• DBE Policy (PDF 82.6KB)
• 2017 WSDOT Disparity Study (PDF 1.3MB)
• WSDOT 2022 Disparity Study FAQs (PDF 184 KB)
• WSDOT 2022 Disparity Study FAQs Spanish (PDF 193KB)
• Washington State Airports Disparity Study 2019 (PDF 1.14MB)

Additional DBE information

• Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 26
• WSDOT Executive Order E 1009.02: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (PDF 83KB)
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program: Participation Plan (PDF 7.14MB)
• FTA Overall DBE Goal Methodology FFY 2024-2026 (PDF 333KB)
• FHWA Overall Goal Methodology FFY-2024-2026 (PDF 292KB)
• FAA Overall Goal Methodology FFY-2024-2026 (PDF 337KB)
• WSDOT DBE Regular Dealers List (PDF 262KB)
• UDBE/DBE Regular Dealer Project Request (PDF 2.1MB)

Federal Small Business Enterprise

The intent of the SBE Program is to increase race-neutral DBE participation and small business utilization in general.

The department will review federal-aid projects for either a DBE or SBE enforceable project goal.

Federal SBE goals

• WSDOT developed a SBE Participation Plan (PDF 204KB)
• If there is an SBE goal, prime contractors will either have to meet the established project SBE or demonstrate Good Faith Efforts to do so
• SBE firms will be required to perform a Commercially Useful Function
• Firms interested in contracts with SBE goals must be certified by the Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises
• To learn more about locating SBE certified firms, please review this information on Locating SBE Firms (PDF 260KB)
• Firms certified as DBEs are automatically considered SBEs

For the small business program based on state law see the Minority, Small, Veteran and Women’s Business Enterprise Program.

Small Business Enterprise certification and registration

• State Small Business Enterprise Program: Register with the Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system.
• Federal Small Business Enterprise Program: Become certified as a Small Business Enterprise by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.

Benefits of certification

• Access to state funded projects in order to receive credit toward their SBE participation goals.
• Statewide visibility in the OMWBE online directory which allows firm information to be available to all agencies and primes across the state.
• Firms certified DBE gain access to federally funded business development opportunities provided to ensure the opportunity to participate on federally funded or assisted projects.

Minority, Small, Veteran and Women’s Business Enterprises

The primary objective of this program is to increase Minority, Small, Veteran and Women's Business Enterprises (M/S/V/WBE) participation on WSDOT’s contracting and procurement activities for state-funded projects.

Creating a Participation Plan

For projects with M/S/V/WBE goals, see WSDOT MSVWBE Participation Plan Drafting Guidelines (PDF 942KB) for help.

For projects with Small and Veteran's Business enforceable goals, see WSDOT MWBE Participation Plan Drafting Guidelines (PDF 150KB) for help.

Become a certified Minority, Small, Veteran and Women's Business Enterprise

• Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise certification: Visit the Washington State Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises and apply
• Veteran Owned Business and Small Business certifications: Register with the Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system

For more information on the direction of WSDOT’s Diverse Business Programs please review the OECR State Funded Diversity Roadmap (PDF 356KB)

Learn more about WSDOT’s Capacity Building Mentorship Program.

For more information, see our MWBE Support Services Flyer (PDF450KB),

Small and Veteran’s Business Enterprises

WSDOT is implementing a Small and Veteran’s Business Enterprise Program in our construction program. For more information, please view the resources below.

• OECR State Funded Contracts - Diversity Roadmap (PDF 356KB)
• Design Bid Build Informational Video
• Bid Build Informational Video

Contact WSDOT’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights Small Business Program at smallbusiness@wsdot.wa.gov or (360) 705-7090.

Supplier Diversity Program

The goal of this program is to encourage and help with the purchase of goods and services from small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. If you have questions, contact our Procurement and Materials Management Office at hqpurchasing@wsdot.wa.gov or 360-280-5625.

We are committed to removing barriers that prevent fair access to state goods and services procurement – more information about this policy is available at the Department of Enterprise Services Supplier Diversity webpage.

Contracting opportunity forecast

The following information is made available for all businesses on planned WSDOT contracting opportunities.  The information provided assists with acquisition planning by helping vendors learn about potential contracting opportunities early in the procurement process.  The information is based on the best information available at the time reported.  The forecast data is for planning purposes only, does not represent a pre-solicitation synopsis and is not a solicitation by the WSDOT to procure goods or services. All projected procurements are subject to revision or cancelation.

• WSDOT forecasted purchases (XLSX 47KB)
• Office of Equity & Civil Rights Supplier Diversity Forecasting (PDF 135KB)

Directories

For assistance with the Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Directory, please contact the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises at (360) 664-9750 or visit the Washington State Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises website.

The Directory of Small and Veteran’s Businesses is located within the Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system. To find Small and Veteran's Businesses, please use the search for other businesses tool.

If you need assistance in using the Small and Veteran’s Business Directory, please contact Washington State Department of Enterprise Services at (360) 902-7400 or visit the WEBS webpage.

Diversity Management and Compliance System (B2GNow)

The Washington State Department of Transportation has implemented a Diversity Management and Compliance System (DMCS) powered by B2GNow for tracking payments to subcontractors, lower tier subcontractors, consultants, manufacturers, regular dealers, or service providers on the Contract.

This includes all Disadvantaged, Minority, Small, Veteran or Women’s Business Enterprise firms. Subcontractors will have an opportunity to acknowledge receipt of the payment and verify the amount paid. The DMCS application is available at: wsdot.diversitycompliance.com.

The new system has built in web‐based training that is offered several times a month and is available through the website mentioned above. WSDOT encourages prime contractors as well as subcontractors to take this training.

DMCS user manuals

• DMCS WSDOT automated compliance audit process for prime contractors (PDF 1.83MB)
• DMCS Subcontractor manual for confirming payments reported by Prime Contractors (PDF 588KB)
• DMCS Project Engineer Office Introduction to the Diversity Management and Compliance System (PDF 3.28MB)

WSDOT’s Diversity Management and Compliance System (B2Gnow) is accessible to all firms doing business with Washington State Department of Transportation and includes the following key features:

• Automated tracking of contract goals and participation
• Verification of subcontractor payments
• Automated email communications with subcontractors regarding compliance
• Flexible reporting capabilities
• If you already know your login credentials, please click on Diversity Management and Compliance System to login.
• If you are looking for an existing account for your company or a user account for yourself, please perform an Account Lookup
• If you do not have an account, please create a new account in the system.