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Minority Business Enterprise Program (MBE) Background

The Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program is built upon a successful collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and its supplier community. The health and vitality of the state of Wisconsin is inextricably linked to the quality of life in all our cities, communities and neighborhoods.

Each year, WisDOT purchases a broad range of products and services. The Division of Business Management (DBM), Purchasing Section, is responsible for identifying the best value, highest quality products and services by encouraging competition among all contractors, suppliers and vendors. We recognize the challenge small, minority and diverse suppliers face to meet the unique business and technology requirements of WisDOT.

WisDOT's MBE Program is a proactive business development process that seeks to provide all suppliers, including minority businesses, equal access to purchasing opportunities.  It promotes vendor participation reflective of the diverse business community and encourages local economic development.

Key program components

• Outreach to minority and diverse suppliers through workshops, opportunity fairs, and the Web.
• Assistance with skills and capacity development for inclusion in business development initiatives.
• Senior management support for the program.
• Internal marketing campaign promoting the use of small, minority and diverse suppliers.
• Internal goals and objectives with accountability for results.

Subcontracting program

We encourage large majority-owned prime contractors and strategic suppliers who do business with WisDOT to demonstrate their commitment to diversity by assisting in the development and implementation of our subcontracting and 2nd Tier Contracting Program as well as innovative value-added major-minority business partnerships. The department acknowledges and offers opportunities to those majority suppliers who assist us in our minority business initiatives.

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Questions about the content of this page:
June Robinson, june.robinson@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: January 4, 2011

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