CA: Caltrans may ditch program for minority contractors

Times Sacramento Bureau ^ | 02-07-06 | Edwin Garcia

[Alia]

SACRAMENTO - Just when California is poised to ramp up road construction, Caltrans may roll back a civil rights program that has steered tens of thousands of federally funded contracts to woman- and minority-owned small businesses across the state.

State Department of Transportation officials say they prefer to continue administering the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program -- which pushes contractors to give a percentage of their contracts to women and minority subcontractors -- but a federal court decision could kill the decades-old quota system.

A ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in May would force Caltrans to prove to the U.S. Department of Transportation that discrimination exists among the big contractors that share a $4 billion pot of federal transportation construction funding.

And that may be difficult.

[leadhead]

Most of the "minority/woman-owned" participation went to front companies that just added 10-15% to every contract. Competent minority/woman-owned business do just fine without getting into the paperwork mish-mash of state contracts.

[RWR8189]

Small and medium sizes contractors, he said, "are going to be at the mercy pretty much of what a big prime is willing to pay." him or her for his or her services."

Oh the horror!

Getting paid only what you deserve for your work!

[Alia]

Most of the "minority/woman-owned" participation went to front companies that just added 10-15% to every contract

Exactly right.

[Alia]

Yes, but many of the programs amount to a "reparations" scam under the color of "legitimacy", anyway. I don't know whether this move by Caltrans is legit or a set-up. Yet.

[Amerigomag]

This business became so competitive in California that women of a particular culture brought top dollar when they offered to front a company.

An acquaintance of mine dominated one aspect of state contracting since she was 1/8 Cherokee. Her cultural heritage superseded both black and Asian women on the state and federal scales for neediness. She was queen of that segment of contracted transportation. Minority men didn't even compete.