Local Business Contract Equity Program

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) supports project and program delivery and other services to fulfill our mission. For contracts funded (a) solely by Measure F Alameda County Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF), Measure B and/or Measure BB sales tax funds, or (b) in part by VRF, Measure B, and/or Measure BB funds in combination with other local funds, Alameda CTC offers contract applicable credits for contract award to Alameda County businesses under its Local Business Contract Equity (LBCE) Program.

The LBCE Program has the following goals:

  • For Local Business Enterprise (LBE): 70.0% for professional services contracts and 60.0% for construction contracts.
  • For Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE): 30.0% for professional services contracts and 20.0% for construction contracts.

Opportunities greater than $25,000 and equal to or less than $75,000 has a Very Small Local Business Enterprise (VSLBE) goal of 30.0% for professional services contracts.

Contracts funded by the state or federal government are exempt from these goals.

For federally funded contracts, the Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) Program applies in accordance with federal regulations 49 CFR Part 26, as may be amended from time to time by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

Business Outreach Committee

Alameda CTC is a member of the Business Outreach Committee (BOC), a consortium of Bay Area transit and transportation agencies working together to assist Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) through training, providing technical assistance, and relationship-building with agency staff and the contracting community of the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more about the BOC, including events and the contracting opportunities of its member agencies, please visit www.goldengate.org/district/doing-business/business-outreach-committee.

The Local Business Contract Equity (LBCE) Program contributes to the overall economic vitality of the County by (1) encouraging businesses to locate and remain in Alameda County; (2) providing employment opportunities for residents of Alameda County; and (3) generating economic activity and stimulating the local economy. In 2000, Alameda County voters approved the Measure B half-cent sales tax on retail sales made within the county. These revenues are exclusively directed toward improving the transit and transportation systems within the county.

Small and local businesses not only provide economic and social vitality to our communities, they also help accomplish Alameda CTC's purchasing objectives. The LBCE Program benefits Local Business Enterprise (LBE), Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) and Very Small Local Business Enterprise (VSLBE) businesses.

The LBCE Program applies to contracts which are:
  1. Funded either: (a) solely by VRF, Measure B and/or Measure BB funds, or (b) in part by VRF, Measure B, and/or Measure BB funds in combination with other local funds.
  2. Either: (a) administered by Alameda CTC, or (b) related to, or in support of, a Sponsor Agency-administered capital project.
The LBCE Program does not apply to contracts that include state and/or federal funds.

Certified Firms

Alameda CTC updates and publishes a list of local businesses currently certified each month:

Certification Documents

Alameda CTC is an active member of the East Bay Interagency Alliance (EBIA). Members of EBIA include Alameda CTC, Alameda County, City of Oakland, and Port of Oakland. These agencies have developed and utilize the EBIA Common Application, as well as supplemental forms specific to each agency.

Sponsor Agency Documents

A Sponsor Agency is any public entity receiving Measure B, Measure BB, VRF, and/or other local funds from Alameda CTC to implement projects. Please refer to LBCE Program Appendix B for Responsibilities of Sponsor Agencies. If you find any errors or have questions, please contact Alastair Powell at apowell@alamedactc.org.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact us:

Certification Team
510.208.7460
certification@alamedactc.org

Alastair Powell
510.208.7438
apowell@alamedactc.org

Alameda CTC is committed to the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms in its contracting opportunities in accordance with federal regulations 49 CFR Part 26, as may be amended from time to time by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). The DBE Program applies to all federally funded contracts.

The main objectives of the DBE Program are:

  • To ensure that small DBE firms can compete fairly for federally funded transportation-related projects.
  • To ensure that only eligible firms participate as a DBE firm.
  • To assist DBE firms in competing outside of the DBE Program.

To be certified as a DBE, a firm must be a small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Certifiers make the determinations based upon on-site visits, personal interviews, reviews of licenses, stock ownership, equipment, bonding capacity, work completed, resume of principal owners and financial capacity. For the state of California, DBE certification is performed by the certifying agencies of the California Unified Certification Program (CUCP).

Please visit https://dot.ca.gov/programs/civil-rights/dbe-certification-information for details, including:

  • Criteria for eligibility
  • Application process and forms
  • CUCP Roster of Certifying Agencies

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 4 Small Business Program

For Caltrans small business-related outreach, events, activities, resources, and contact information, please visit https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-popular-links/d4-small-business-program.