 September/October 2024 | 33rd Edition
ODOT’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights’ newsletter, Equity Line, brings to you the newest content relevant to your business and business needs. Whether you work in transportation-related fields, construction, or just drive Oregon’s roads and have an interest in what ODOT is doing for the Oregon economy, OECR’s Equity Line is a newsletter you will want to read.
 New Rules for the DBE Program
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced several revisions to the rules for administering the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, effective May 9, 2024. The rule changes are an effort to significantly modernize DBE Programs across the country. Notable changes include: updates to personal net worth and thresholds for inflation; new rules for counting of material suppliers; updated certification provisions that allow flexibility when determining eligibility.
As we learn about how these rules will impact doing business with ODOT, we will continue to update our contracting community on how to get certified and to bid on our projects. USDOT is maintaining a webpage with the current guidance on these rule changes here.
Reach out with questions to ODOT’s DBE Program Manager, Diponker Mukherjee by email or at 971-283-4636.
 Register now for ODOT's Office of Equity and Civil Rights Contract
Labor & Compliance Training!
Office of Equity & Civil Rights’ Contract Labor and Compliance Trainings provide insight into ODOT/FHWA Office of Equity and Civil Rights Programs, DBE, ODOT/BOLI Labor Compliance Programs, TERO, OJT/Apprenticeships, new Oregon Laws and more!
From daily record keeping to monthly reporting, notice to proceed to final note, Prime and Sub Contractors, Consultants and ODOT Personnel will benefit from attending this complimentary training.
Trainings will be offered both virtually and in-person.
Training Dates
Region 1 (Portland) - October 29, 2024
Region 2 (Salem) - October 24, 2024
Region 3 (White City) - December 10, 2024
Region 4 (Bend) - November 21, 2024
Region 5 (Pendleton) - October 3, 2024
Agenda
8:30am - 12:00pm: Contract Compliance with OECR
1:00pm - 4:00pm: Labor Compliance with ODOT/BOLI
Register
ODOT - OECR - 2024 Labor and Compliance Training - IN PERSON
ODOT - OECR - 2024 Labor and Compliance Training - VIRTUAL
Need a Workday account? Create an account.
Questions? Contact the Office of Equity and Civil Rights via email.
*CCB Credit Available*
60 Years Later – Civil Rights Act of 1964
By Brenda Gessner
In 1963, 250,000 people marched to Washington, D.C. to show support for the civil rights bill. This is where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law, by President Johnson, sixty years ago. It was one of the most substantial pieces of civil rights legislation in history. The landmark 1964 act barred discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex in public facilities - such as restaurants, theaters, and hotels. Discrimination in hiring practices was also outlawed; the act established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to help enforce the law. Although the law attempted to legislate fair election practices, black Americans were still often denied the ability to vote. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was foundational but the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would be required to address the voting issue more comprehensively.
The proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” reflects the importance and benefits of collaboration. It is important for all Americans to have access to good-paying jobs, loans to help advance new businesses and home ownership, and affordable healthcare for everyone. Civil rights are an important issue today, and while strides have been made in the country, we still have work to do together.
ODOT’s non-discrimination policies apply in ODOT’s programs, activities, services, operations, delivery of benefits and opportunities to participate.
For more information, visit the link below or contact Brenda Gessner, ODOT”s Title VI, ADA, and Environmental Program Manager via email or 971-372-9291.
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ODOT is offering a series of engineer application trainings for business partners to create and maintain proficiency in the various Bentley CADD applications, including MicroStation and OpenRoads Designer. The MicroStation course focuses on the drawing tools for all CADD applications while the OpenRoads Designer course focuses on the Civil product used to create alignments, corridors, surfaces and reports. All courses are virtual.
MicroStation Basics | Oct. 7 – 10, 2024 | Waitlist available
MicroStation Intermediate | Nov. 4 – 6, 2024 | Register by Oct. 4
OpenRoads Designer Basics | Dec. 9 – 12, 2024 | Register by Nov. 8
OpenRoads Designer Advanced | Jan. 27 – 29, 2025 | Register by Dec. 27
Or contact the Engineering and Technical Services Training team via email;
Beth Yutzie Sell, Gary Holeman, and Todd Hedspeth.
Watch for ODOT’s Small Business Programs Navigators Joe Hanseling and Omar Alvarado at these meetings
LatinoBuilt
Latino Business Alliance
NAMC – National Association of Minority Contractors
OAME – Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
Governor’s Marketplace Recap
ODOT was represented at the Governor’s Marketplace in Salem in June. The event connected Oregon businesses with state agency representatives, buyers and programs, offering tools and resources to assist in public contracting.
The event was attended by more than 700 people from the business community, many who had never participated in public contracting, and 70 contracting agencies from the state, cities, colleges, and associations providing information about their contracting opportunities and resources.
Panel discussions included a State Contracting Panel presenting on how to connect with agency buyers, small business programs, technical assistance and avoiding common mistakes when submitting proposals. OregonBuys and COBID presented on e-procurement and becoming a certified COBID firm.
*Watch for information on the next Governor’s Marketplace in Portland, October 28, 2024.
 Left photo: Omar Alvarado, Small Business Programs Navigator, at ODOT’s outreach table
Middle photo: Alvarado, accepting recognition for ODOT’s sponsorship of Governor’s Marketplace
Right photo: ODOT team at Governor’s Marketplace: From left to right: Catherine Biscoe, ESB Program Manager and Omar Alvarado; Melissa Lovejoy, Joanne Robinson, Kevin Cassidy and Ashley Cisneros from ODOT Procurement; Jim West, Project Delivery Manager, and Ailsa Kellam, Small Business Development Program Manager.
2024 APEX-GCAP Meet the Buyers Recap
ODOT’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights was represented at APEX-GCAP’s Meet the Buyers event on March 26, 2024, at Lane Community College.
Shown to the left, OECR Field Coordinator Alyssa Soots and Small Business Programs Navigators Omar Alvarado and Joe Hanseling shared information and contract opportunities with attendees.
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Whether you use ODOT’s transportation system or are a small business looking for bid opportunities, you will find the latest information about hundreds of current and upcoming ODOT projects around the state at ODOT’s Projects. There, you will find interactive maps, project videos, traffic impacts, project contacts, and more.
Information is included for the full range of ODOT projects including preservation projects, seismic upgrades, bicycle and pedestrian multi-use paths, and safety and accessibility improvements. You can also view projects in a particular area using ODOT’s Interactive Project Tracker.
The Coos Bay/North Bend area has had a bit of extra shine the last few years, thanks to Annie Velazquez from Master Blaster of Coos Bay. Velazquez started the business in 2021 with her husband, and as she put it, “The cart was in front of the horse” when she purchased her dustless blaster. However, that didn’t deter Velazquez from her dream of successful sandblasting, pressure washing, and painting business. She registered an LLC, obtained her contractor’s license, and hit the pavement.
All puns aside, good old-fashioned networking helped Velazquez launch Master Blaster. She knocked on doors and introduced herself and her business at every possible opportunity, including morning walks with her dog, which resulted in more than one job! The community welcomed her with open arms and helped connect Velazquez to more resources. She started working with Southwestern SBDC (Small Business Development Center at Southwestern Oregon Community College), and with the help of her advisor, Derek Tonn, she developed a business plan.
Velazquez’s hard work didn’t stop there; she joined the CCD Business Development Corporation Women in Business group and met Kemberly Todd. Todd became one of her biggest cheerleaders as Velazquez put in the hours to obtain several certifications, including W/MBE (Women & Minority Owned Business Enterprise), ESB (Emerging Small Business), DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise), and lead-based paint repair. She also utilized Oregon APEX-GCAP (Government Contract Accelerator Program) to develop a capabilities statement and refine her estimating skills. With her expanded skills and certifications, Velazquez looks forward to increasing Master Blaster’s opportunities by bidding on government contracts.
If you’re looking for a partner to help with wet or dry blasting, pressure washing, and painting, contact Velazquez and Master Blaster of Coos Bay.
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 PODER, Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network is a nonprofit organization made up of over 3,200 Latino leaders, organizations, businesses, public employees, community members, and allies across Oregon.
PODER's Network is a community-based initiative that connects and empowers Latinos in Oregon to work together to promote social, economic, and civic prosperity for all. The program is open to any individual, private, or public organization supporting PODER's mission and goal. PODER offers access to newsletters, monthly town halls, and exclusive events which share opportunities and statewide news regarding the Latino community.
PODER celebrated the 15th anniversary of the annual PODER’s Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Summit on September 13th, 2024 at the Salem Convention Center. Learn more about PODER here.
Connect2Oregon events are back!
The Department of Administrative Services is bringing “Connect 2 Oregon” to Newport, Oregon on September 17, 8am - 1pm.
This valuable educational event is designed to support small businesses in the Central Oregon region, with various agencies providing expert guidance and networking opportunities. Be sure to participate in the business-related workshops, where you can build stronger relationships with municipalities and government contracting experts, and find out what opportunities are available locally with city, state and federal government agencies. CCB Continuing Education units are available.
Event details
Location: Oregon Coast Community College, Room 140, 400 SE College Way, Newport, OR 97366
Cost: Free. Please register below.
Refreshments and lunch are provided. Space is limited.
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