New Online Dashboard Shows Diversity of High-Speed Rail Small Businesses Program

11 Feb

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) has launched a new online dashboard that tracks Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), which include women- and minority-owned small businesses participating on the high-speed rail project. The feature is on the Authority’s small business program homepage at https://hsr.ca.gov/small_business/. “We designed the new dashboard to highlight minority-owned small businesses’ participation in building high-speed rail and to transparently …

New Caltrans Exhibit 9-F Due Monthly

03 Feb

The Caltrans Division of Local Assistance released the 2021 Local Assistance Procedures Manual (LAPM) on January 4, 2021. In addition to numerous minor revisions, the LAPM introduced a new Exhibit 9-F: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Running Tally of Actual Attainments. This exhibit is required to be completed by the prime contractor/consultant and must be emailed to Caltrans each month after …

SB1 Increasing Opportunities for Small Business

15 Sep

SB1 was signed in 2017 and invests $54 billion over the next 10 years to improve and maintain California’s transportation infrastructure. This is a good news for small businesses (SBs), disabled veteran business enterprises (DVBEs), and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) because a trailer bill, SB103, now requires that Caltrans increase the dollar value of contracts and procurements awarded to SBs, …

SBA Office of Advocacy Submits Comments on Size Standards

06 Sep

On Aug. 22, Advocacy submitted the Small Business Administration’s proposed rule, Small Business Size Standards: Calculation of Annual Average Receipts. In the letter, Advocacy urges the SBA to revisit, revise, and re-publish for comment a supplemental initial regulatory flexibility analysis to ensure proper alternatives are discussed. View the letter here.

FHWA Debars New Jersey-based Contractor

03 Sep

Sanzo Ltd. and its owner, Coral Sanzo, were debarred by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on August 23, 2019. This debarment prohibits Sanzo from participating in federally funded procurement and non-procurement programs for a period of 3 years. On July 6, 2016, in U.S. District Court, Newark, New Jersey, Sanzo was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection …

Illinois Supply Chain Manager Debarred by FTA

09 Jun

From June 30, 2017 to June 29, 2018, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) suspended Velda Berryman on allegations of fraud. Allegations were referred to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) for investigation. The DOT-OIG confirmed that Berryman fabricated correspondences to appear as though an FTA equal opportunity specialist had certified Progress Rail Locomotive, Inc. as a …

USDOT Reviewing Guidance Documents and Looking for Comments

13 Feb

The U.S. Department of Transportation is reviewing its existing guidance documents to evaluate their continued necessity and determine whether they need to be updated or revised. As part of this review, the Department invites the public to identify and provide input on existing guidance documents including the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Official Q&A and Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE) Program Official FQAs . Please …

2018 Annual Equal Employment Opportunity Report Due 8/15/18

01 Aug

A reminder that the 2018 Annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Report is due August 15, 2018.  Using federal form FHWA 1391, prime contractors and lower-tier subcontractors with subcontracts over $10,000 must complete this report for work performed during the last full week of July. For more information regarding this report and the deadline, click here.

Safe Harbor Rate and Evaluation Program Extended Indefinitely

03 Jul

The Safe Harbor Cost Rate Test and Evaluation program for Architectural and Engineering (A&E) consulting firms has been extended indefinitely. This program provides a framework for A&E consulting firms to establish to cost history for the eventual development of an indirect cost rate compliant with Title 48 Code of Federal Regulation Section 31. To find out more information about this …

2018 Updates Released for LAPM and LAPG

30 Jan

2018 updates of the Local Assistance of Procedures Manual (LAPM) and the Local Assistance Program Guidelines (LAPG) have been released by the Caltrans Division of Local Assistance. To read more about these updates, click here.