SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is inviting contractors, community organizations and interested members of the public to a public forum Wednesday, February 22 in Sacramento to comment on the Department's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.

The event will be held Wednesday, February 22 from 5 -7 p.m. at a Caltrans facility located at 1727 30^th Street in Sacramento.

Caltrans is required by a recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling to consider amending its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program goals for all federally funded projects. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, Western States Paving Co., Inc. v. Washington Department of Transportation et al., has established new evidentiary standards necessary to constitutionally support the use of race-conscious DBE goals such as those currently used by the Department. The decision is binding on the states within its jurisdiction, including California.

The Department is hosting a public comment forum to allow the Department to consult with all contractors, minority, women’s and general contractor groups, community organizations and other organizations, which could be expected to have information concerning the availability of Disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged businesses and the effect of discrimination on opportunities for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). In accordance to CFR Part 26.45 (g); the Department invites maximum public participation, solicits comments and invites the submission of evidence and information that may support the use of mixed components of race conscious and race neutral measures to achieve the overall goal.

After consideration of comments receive during comment period, which was recently extended to March 20, 2006, the Department will determine whether it is able to continue with any level of race-conscious program this federal fiscal year or whether it is necessary to revise the goals to state the specified level of DBE participation that will be achieved solely by race neutral resources.