The Alabama Department of Transportation has undertaken an aggressive program to provide technical expertise and management training to business entities that qualify as disadvantaged business enterprises. The programs are geographically located in the northern, central and south central parts of the state. To achieve the goal of the provision of such assistance to DBE’s throughout the state, ALDOT has contracted with four (4) Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) and with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The primary goals of the programs are to increase the level of DBE participation in the Highway construction industry.

ALDOT has entered into various contractual agreements with the following institutions; Stillman College, Tuskegee University, Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The agreements basically provide that the institutions will provide technical and management assistance, in conjuncture with workshops and classroom training to certified DBE’s and potential DBE’s. The assistance is designed to enhance the DBE’s skills and knowledge in the transportation and highway construction industry and in becoming viable independent contractors.