The Washington State Department of Transportation’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Sound Transit’s Office of Civil Rights, Equity & Inclusion, with a new program administrator—the Minority Business Development Agency, Tacoma Business Center—have partnered to continue the initial success of the Capacity Building Mentorship Program (CBMP) as part of its State Funded Diversity Roadmap. The mentorship program arose as part of Governor Jay Inslee’s diverse business participation goal in Results Washington.

The CBMP pairs small, minority, veteran and women businesses with successful prime contractors and consultants. These mentors provide technical assistance and business advice to strengthen the protégés’ capacity to work with Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit projects. This program is intended to enhance the capabilities and participation of underserved businesses that are able to perform work on transportation-related projects.