DBE Program

The MATA Board of Commissioners strongly supports the DBE (or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) Program and its policies and is committed to making them a vital part of MATA’s business process.

DBEs are a vital part of the economic structure of the Mid-South and assisting those businesses contributes to their overall economic growth and expansion as well as strengthening the economic foundation of our community.

It is, therefore, the policy to create a level playing field on which DBEs can compete fairly for DOT-assisted contracts and to assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the DBE Program through the following means:

  • Development: To explore ways to provide assistance to DBEs through training, seminars, and sharing information about new initiatives that affect minority-owned businesses.
  • Information: To keep DBEs informed on procurement activities and other activities taking place at MATA and in the community.
  • Outreach: To actively seek certified and certifiable DBE suppliers.
  • Relationships: To promote better business relationships between MATA and its vendors that will benefit all parties.
  • Utilization: To increase the utilization of DBEs in the purchasing process in routine purchases, requests for bids and contracts and other forms of purchase.
  • Understanding: To create an avenue to effectively communicate with DBEs concerning procurement policies and procedures.

If you would like more information about MATA’s DBE program, please contact:

Terra Siggers
Compliance Officer
(901) 722-7194
tsiggers@matatransit.com

Compliance Office (CO)

The Compliance Officer is responsible for ensuring that MATA utilizes bona fide DBEs and does not discriminate in its procurement, employment, service or contracting services. Through outreach, training and dissemination of information, the CO proactively serves as an intermediary and liaison in interacting with employees, businesses, community organizations, minority and female contractor associations and public officials. The responsibilities of the CO are divided into two major functions:

DBE Function

The primary purpose of the DBE function is to ensure that those who participate in MATA contracts are owned and controlled by one or more minorities and women. In addition, this function develops various business development initiatives, which enable its DBE Vendors to expand  capacity and capabilities within the mainstream of their industries.

Some additional responsibilities of the DBE function include:

  • Ascertains eligibility of potential vendors who may qualify as participants in the DBE Program
  • Providesw vendor assistance by assisting new vendors in completing application for DBE Program eligibility
  • Maintains effective networking relationships with various governmental agencies, community groups, business groups and trade organizations
  • Recommends business development services for DBE vendors

Compliance Function

Some of the responsibilities of the compliance function include:

  • Establishing and assigning DBE goals to various federally funded contracts let by MATA
  • Reviewing DBE goals and utilization plans proposed by contractors
  • Monitoring DBE attainment by contractors, such as, verification of information, logging of information, processing reports, submitting reports, creating charts and graphs, and quarterly status reports to the MATA Board of Commissioners
  • Monitors, investigates and reviews prime contractor, subcontractor and sub tier contractor efforts to achieve compliance and applicable federal, state, and local agencies’ legislation
  • Participates in pre-bid and pre-award meetings between MATA personnel and contractors to ensure an understanding of contract obligations and that the requirements are met

Certification

MATA is a member of the Tennessee Unified Certifications Program (TN UCP). It is no longer necessary to apply for DBE certification at more than one of the member agencies within the state. If your firm meets the criteria for certification, it will be entered in the TNUCP database. Only firms currently certified as eligible DBEs for the TNUCP may participate in the DBE program of U.S. DOT grantees within the state of Tennessee. The TNUCP is not required to process an application for certification from a firm having its principal place of business outside the state of Tennessee if the firm is not certified in its home state.

If the firm has its principal place of business in another state and is currently certified in that state, please contact the Tennessee Department of Transportation (888)370-3647 or (615)741-3681 or Memphis Area Transit Authority (901) 722.7139. Also, the Mid-South Minority Business Council’s (MBCC) Unified Certification Agency (UCA) assists MATA with DBE certification efforts. MBCC certification inquiries should be directed to 901-525-6512, Ext. 615. Applicable links are as follows:

TN UCP http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/civil-rights/Smallbusiness/docs/application.pdf
MATA, DBE Program MMBC, UCA www.mmbc-memphis.org

 


DBE Program FAQs

  
Q:   

What Is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)?

A DBE is defined as a for-profit small business concern-

(1) That is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals: and

(2) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it.

The term “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals” has the meaning such term has under sections 8(d) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637 (d)):

Any individual in the following groups are rebuttably presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged:

(a) African Americans

(b) Hispanic Americans

(c) Native Americans

(d) Asian-Pacific Americans

(e) Subcontinent Asian Americans

(f) Women

  
Q:   

Do I have to be certified to do business with the Memphis Area Transit Authority?

No. A business is not required to be certified to do business with MATA. However, any work you perform as a prime contractor or subcontractor will not be credited as meeting the established DBE contract goal.

  
Q:   

Should I apply for DBE certification?

DBE goals are established for projects funded by the federal government, if it is determined that there are DBE contracting opportunities and there are DBEs who are ready, willing, and able to perform on these contracts.

  
Q:   

What are the advantages of becoming certified as a DBE?

The DBE Unit reviews certain contracts to determine whether they present opportunities for DBEs. Based on federal guidelines, the CO may set goals for the participation of DBEs on a contract, help the prime contractor find qualified DBE subcontractors, and monitor the performance of the prime contractor to ensure that it is using good faith efforts to meet participation goals.

When a contract is ready to bid, the CO identifies available qualified DBE firms and sends a list to the Purchasing department. Those firms are placed on the list of potential prime contractors and subcontractors receiving requests to bid on the contract.

  
Q:   

What are the other advantages of becoming certified as a DBE?

Certification as a DBE provides greater exposure for work opportunities. Once certified, your company’s information is added to a database, which is accessed by other local and state agencies seeking to do business with DBEs.

  
Q:   

Once certified, can a firm be assured of getting contracts and subcontracts?

No. Certification does not guarantee work to a DBE; however, it does enhance a DBEs exposure to prime contractors and the business community. To be successful, a firm must market itself, its personnel and its services, as any good business should.

  
Q:   

How does MATA establish the goals for DBE participation?

Every attempt is made by MATA to establish realistic and achievable DBE goals. Individual contract goals are set based upon the dollar value of the project, the availability of DBEs to perform the work, which is to be subcontracted, and the availability of certified DBEs in the location where the work is to be done. While the established goals may vary on individual contracts, the total of DBE participation in each contract is combined to one report for the MATA DBE participation year.