# Understanding the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act

This bill expands federal funding and support programs designed to help small businesses owned by disadvantaged individuals compete for government contracts in transportation and aviation projects. Right now, the federal government has programs that provide training, mentoring, and technical assistance to help these small businesses succeed, but the bill increases the money available and extends these programs to more areas of transportation.

The bill makes three main changes across different parts of the Department of Transportation. First, it increases funding for highway projects from $10 million to $25 million per year, giving more resources to help disadvantaged business owners learn how to bid on and win highway construction contracts. Second, it creates a new $5 million per year program for transit systems (buses, trains, and similar services) to provide similar training and support. Third, it establishes another $5 million per year program for aviation projects at airports, helping disadvantaged business owners compete for airport construction and improvement contracts.

Who does this help? The bill targets small businesses owned by people who face economic or social disadvantages—this typically includes minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and businesses in economically distressed areas. These programs provide practical help like business training, accounting assistance, and guidance on how to navigate the bidding process for government contracts. The bill also slightly increases overall funding for transit systems and highway programs to accommodate these new support services.

The practical effect is that more small business owners from underrepresented groups will have access to training and resources to compete for transportation and aviation contracts. This could mean more diverse contractors working on highway projects, transit systems, and airport improvements in communities across the country.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act

Aguilar, Pete

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act The bill increases funding for and expands the disadvantaged business enterprise supportive services program of the Department of Transportation (DOT). The program provides training, assistance, and services to minority-owned small businesses to help them achieve proficiency to compete, on an equal basis, for federal aid highway project contracts and subcontracts. Specifically, the bill (1) increases the annual funding cap for the program from $10 million to $25 million, and (2) authorizes DOT to implement the program at the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Aviation Administration so that small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals may achieve proficiency to compete for contracts and subcontracts regarding public transportation and airport projects.