Since 2003, the Kentucky Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program has helped small, minority- and women-owned businesses benefit from the diverse range of opportunities the Ohio River Bridges Project has brought to the Louisville-Southern Indiana business community. To date, the Bridges Project's Kennedy Interchange, Kentucky East End Approach and bridge design section teams have partnered with more than 30 firms from across the country on one of the nation's largest transportation projects.

The Kentucky DBE program is a federally mandated component of the Ohio River Bridges Project. The program is managed by Community Transportation Solutions (CTS-GEC), the general engineering consultant for the Ohio River Bridges Project, which works closely with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Office of Business and Occupational Development in Frankfort. A core function of the KY DBE program is to help the region's businesses meet requirements for design and construction prequalification, and aid small, minority- and women-owned businesses in seeking DBE certification.

Mission Statement

• Address the need to develop and nurture small, minority- and women-owned businesses for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

• Cite the monumental opportunity presented by the Ohio River Bridges Project for firms to master new skills and grow and prosper, resulting in a more skilled work force and a stronger economic base for years to come.

• Articulate the commitment by the KYTC and FHWA to meaningful participation for DBE-qualified small, minority-, and women-owned businesses.