U.S. Department of Transportation: Small Business Opportunities

1. 2017 SWFL Government Symposium & Expo United States Department of Transportation Office of Small Business – SE Region Adriana Clark SE Region Director • July 27, 2017

2. MISSION OF DOT’s OSDBU • Ensure that small business policies and goals of the Secretary of Transportation are implemented in a fair, efficient and effective manner to serve small businesses; • Implement DOT’s activities on behalf of small businesses, including businesses owned and controlled by disadvantaged individuals • Provide opportunities, technical assistance, and financial services to the small business community.

3. U.S. Department of Transportation: Who We Are? • Keep the traveling public safe and secure • Increase their mobility • Have our transportation system contribute to the nation's • economic growth. • DOT employs almost 55,000 people across the country

4. U.S. DOT OPERATING ADMINISTRATIONS • Office of the Secretary (OST) • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • Office of Inspector General (OIG) • Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration • Federal Railroad Administration • Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) • Maritime Administration (MARAD)

5. Yes, transportation drives opportunity

6. What U.S. DOT Operating Administrations Purchased in FY2016?

7. Why Do Business With U.S. DOT? • Largest infrastructure budget than any other federal agency • Has a statutory provision requiring at least 10% of funds authorized for highway and transit financial assistance programs to be expended with Small/Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) • Agency Small Business Scorecard: U.S. Department of Transportation • FY2010 – A ● FY2012 – A ● FY2011 – A ● FY2013 – A+ FY2014 - A ●FY2015 – A+ ● FY2016 - A

8. How Can DOT Help Your Small Business? • Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program • Surety Bonding Assistance • Short-Term Lending Program • Procurement Assistance • Resources Near You • Talk to a Small Business Specialist

9. Short Term LendingProgram Guarantee loan program to assist certified small businesses as they work on DOT-funded and DOT-assisted transportation related subcontracts and contracts

10. U.S. Department of TransportationOffice of Small Business Short Term Lending Program • Guarantee loan program to assist certified small businesses as they work on DOT-funded and DOT-assisted transportation related subcontracts and contracts • Provides line of credit for accounts receivable arising from transportation related contracts • Primary collateral is proceeds of the transportation contract(s) • Can be renewed (max. length in program is 5 yrs.) • Maximum loan amount $750,000 • Funds are borrowed against each invoice of the contract(s) • Repayment occurs as the project owner or prime contractor pays the invoice • Interest rate based on a variable rate connected to the WSJ prime rate • Eligibility – Certified DBE, 8(a); HubZone, Disabled veteran or service disabled veteran; WOSB

11. Surety Bonding Program • MOA with TheSurety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) • Provide capacity building and contractor development resources to the transportation emerging contractor community • Partner with federal and state transportation agencies and prime contractors for project specific Programs • Focuses on effective strategies to increase number of small businesses working on federally-assisted contracts/subcontracts • Cover related topics about how best firms can pivot their business' strategy to deliver maximum contracting and professional service value in the government procurement and private sector marketplaces.

12. How Does the U.S.DOT Create Contracting Opportunities? • Direct Contracting (i.e. Federal Buyer: sam.gov, fedbizopps.gov) • Indirect Contracting:USDOT provides financial assistance to State and Local Transportation Agencies for projects • (i.e. State DOTs, local transit, port and airport Authorities)

13. GETTING STARTED

14. Identify your NAICS Code • http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ • Acquire a Data Universal Numbering System identification number (D-U-N-S) • www.dnb.com • Register on the System for Award Management (SAM) – DIRECT USDOT • www.sam.gov • Register with the State’s Vendor Registration System – INDIRECTUSDOT

15. Where to Find Opportunities to Sell Your Product or Service

16. Federal www.fedbizopps.gov– For all federal opportunities over $25,000 States Visit “Doing Business With…” Portals Sample: Florida State DOT www.dot.state.fl.us

17. DOT-related marketing efforts • Cross check DOT FY2016 Procurement Forecast with FEDBizOpps for DOT procurement opportunities that have received funding obligation: http://www.dot.gov/osdbu/fedbizopps-opportunities • DOT Subcontracting Directory, which lists large prime contractors receiving Federal contract awards: http://www.dot.gov/osdbu/procurement-assistance/dot-subcontracting-directory • DOTlisting of Small Business specialists in each Operating Administrations whose primary role is to serve as advocates to small businesses. http://www.dot.gov/osdbu/procurement-assistance/talk-dot-small-business-specialist • Go to https://www.fbo.gov/ website and enter word: sources sought in the keyword/solicitation box - discover opportunities to respond to suitable solicitations for information in your industry.

20. Why Work with Prime Contractors? • Many public contracts are large design build and are awarded to joint ventures & large contractors who bid on projects worth hundreds of millions & billions. • The Contractors/ JVs are required to include the names of all subcontractors they will work with if awarded the contract. • On federally funded transportation contracts, for example, bidders are required to submit the names of DBEs they will subcontract to. • On state contracts, agencies require that bidders carve out subcontracting opportunities for M/WBEs.

21. Why Work for the Primes (con’t.) • Prime contractors have the responsibility of reaching out to minority, women, disadvantaged business enterprises. • Many large projects are underway and coming down the pipeline with millions in subcontracting opportunities. • The prime contractors are subject to federal and state regulations regarding payment to contractors. • All of them have small business liaisons whose purpose is to meet, vet, and, eventually, utilize small contractors to meet goals and/or set-asides.

22. Where and How to Market Your Business to Public Agencies and Prime Contractors?

23. Where? • Local and Regional Outreach Events • Your SE Region DOT Office • General Contractors Associations • Regional Alliance for Small Contractors • State Supplier Diversity Forums • SBA Matchmakers • Project-specific MWDBE Outreach Forums • Prime Contractor websites: register as a vendor • Get business card of Small Business Specialist or M/W/DBE Outreach Liaison

24. U.S. DOT INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN What We Know • Billions under the new Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) • $200 billion in taxpayer dollars to leverage $1 trillion worth of investment through public-private partnerships • Funds will be used to leverage $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years • Rebuild America‘s roads and bridges water, pipelines, airports and other public works projects • Streamline the permit-approval process, so projects get off ground faster

25. questions on everyone’s mind?

26. Call us: 866.928.6289 ext. 3-2 Write us: U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Room W56-489 Washington, DC 20590 Email us: aclark@seregionosdbu.us Visit the OSDBU http://www.osdbu.dot.gov website at: • Thank You!