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WTS December Lunch Program - WSDOT's Disparity Study & Panel Discussion

WSDOT recently conducted a Disparity Study for its DBE program to ensure disadvantaged businesses have equal access to contracting opportunities and that current programs remain legally defensible and administratively successful.

WTS is pleased to welcome Earl Key, Director of WSDOT Office of Equal Opportunity to present a summary of the findings of WSDOTs Disparity Study. This introduction will serve as a starting point for a panel discussion with Earl Key, Teresa Berntsen (Director, Office of Minority and Womens Business Enterprises), and Leslie Jones (Director, Sound Transit Office of Small Business Development and Labor Compliance) about DBE qualifications, barriers to entrepreneurial success, and plans for future initiatives at their respective organizations.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) are for-profit small businesses where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals own at least a 51% interest and control management and daily business operations. Recipients of USDOT funds must develop and implement a DBE program that conforms to USDOT standards.

A Disparity Study examines race- and gender-based barriers to contracts. It determines if there is evidence of a disparity between the availability and the utilization of DBEs in the contracting marketplace. Such a disparity determines whether an agency may implement a race- or gender-conscience contracting program and how the program should be tailored.

Please join us for an interesting and engaging lunch program.

If you have questions for the panel, please submit them in the comments section when you register with Brown Paper Tickets. The WSDOT Disparity Study Report can be found here:
https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/EqualOpportunity/DBE.htm
http://wsdot.disparity-study.com/

Networking begins at 11:30 am, the program begins at noon and ends at 1:00 pm.