Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Capacity Building Mentorship Program
The CBMP (Capacity Building Mentorship Program) 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.
About MBDA-TACOMA
Operating as a regional center since September of 2016, MBDA-(Washington)-Tacoma Business Center is a network of 40 business centers in the U.S., providing technical assistance and strategic business consulting to established minority-owned businesses in the state of Washington.
Strengthening Local Businesses
WSDOT’s Office of Equal Opportunity, along with Sound Transit, are the program sponsors with the immediate objectives to strengthen the long-term stability of certified firms by focusing resources on those critical business skills that contractors need to compete successfully.

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.

Capacity Building Mentorship Program Determining Success Factors

  • Progress toward Governor's Results Washington Goals
  • New WSDOT subcontracts; new private sector contracts
  • Increased bonding, increased bidding, decreased disparity
  • 10 - 25 percent of consulting protégés have gone from Safe Harbor to an approved Indirect Cost Rate
ABOUT THE PROGRAM

About The Program Administrator

The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only Federal Government agency solely dedicated to the support of minority businesses enterprise. MBDA was originally established as the Office of Minority Business Enterprise by President Richard M. Nixon on March 5, 1969.

About MBDA Washington Business center

Operating since September of 2016, MBDA-Tacoma Business Center is one of 40 centers providing technical assistance and strategic business consulting to established minority-owned businesses in the Puget Sound region.

We've been part of the CBMP for two years and it's made a world of difference. I'd like to thank WSDOT & Sound Transit for supporting this for us. We'd like to continue and extend it to another year with our mentor.
Flaviano Reyes
Reyes Engineering, Inc.

WSDOT’s Office of Equal Opportunity, along with Sound Transit, is responsible for the program and the immediate objective is to strengthen the long-term stability of certified firms by focusing resources on those critical business skills that contractors need to compete successfully.

Keep up to date with the latest opportunities.

SOUND TRANSIT
WSDOT