The University of South Alabama, as a recipient of Federal Transit Administration grant funds, has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 CFR Part 26. The University has received Federal financial assistance from the Department of Transportation, and as a condition of receiving this assistance, has signed an assurance that it will comply with 49 CFR Part 26.

It is the policy of the University of South Alabama to ensure that DBE's as defined in part 26, have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in DOT-assisted contracts. It is also our policy:

1. To ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT - assisted contracts;
2. To create a level playing filed on which a DBE can compete fairly for DOT-assisted contracts;
3. To ensure that the DBE Program is narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law;
4. To ensure that only firms that fully meet 49 CFR Part 26 eligibility standards are permitted to participate as DBE's;
5. To help remove barriers to the participation of DBE's in DOT assisted contracts;
6. To assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the market place outside the DBE Program.

Robert M. Brown, Director of Purchasing, has been delegated as the DBE Liaison Officer. In that capacity, he is responsible for implementing all aspects of the DBE program. Implementation of the DBE program is accorded the same priority as compliance with all other legal obligations incurred by the University of South Alabama in its financial assistance agreements with the Department of Transportation.

The University of South Alabama has disseminated this policy statement to the Administrative Officials and all of the components of our organization. We will distribute this statement to DBE and non-DBE business communities that perform work on DOT-assisted contracts by inclusion of this policy in Request for Qualifications (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), and Bid Specification Documents.