Diversity and Inclusion: Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

The Mountain Parkway Expansion’s project team is committed to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in workforce and business engagement and recognizes that more opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) are needed in the highway construction industry. A DBE is a for-profit small business that has been certified through systematic procedures to ensure that they are owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, who own at least a 51 percent interest and also control management and daily business operations.

The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a transformative infrastructure project for Eastern Kentucky and the entire Commonwealth—and the project team is committed to ensuring that the project reflects the diverse region that it will serve.

As part of that commitment, the project team will adhere to federal DBE requirements and implement D&I standards. These protocols aim to ensure fairness and equity in the awarding of contracts associated with this project and will provide opportunities for businesses owned by individuals who have traditionally been underrepresented. The team’s objective is for the project to not only meet DBE goals but also provide equitable opportunities to the communities it serves.

Persons that qualify as socially or economically disadvantaged, as defined by the DBE program requirements, include African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific, Subcontinent Asian Americans, and women. Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis.
To learn more about the DBE program, qualifications of becoming a DBE, and how to participate please visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Civil Rights and Small Business Development.

Resources:

Previous Events

On Aug. 27, 2024, the project team hosted a DBE Outreach Meeting to provide businesses the opportunity to learn more about DBE and upcoming opportunities for work on the last segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion, a 13-mile cross-country route through Magoffin and Floyd counties. The event was held at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, KY. Click the link below to download the presentation from the in-person meeting:

– Mountain Parkway DBE Presentation

Virtual DBE Outreach Meeting for Mountain Parkway

A virtual meeting for DBE outreach was held on September 11, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.

DBE Certification Workshop

A virtual meeting for the DBE Certification Workshop was held on September 24, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.

DBE Pre-qualification Workshop

A virtual meeting for the DBE Pre-qualification Workshop was held on October 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. For more information on DBE outreach, project participation, or other questions related to DBE or D&I on the Mountain Parkway Expansion, please email [email protected].

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