Common use of Program Goals Clause in Contracts

Program Goals. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is required to set an overall DBE goal for participation in all transportation related Federal-aid projects. The goal is determined following guidelines set forth in 49 CFR 26.45, and based on the availability of ready, willing and able DBEs who submitted bids and quotes for transportation related projects, compared as a percentage of all available contractors who submitted bids and quotes for transportation related projects during the same time period. The DBE goal may be adjusted to take into account other factors impacting DBE utilization, in an effort to narrowly tailor the overall DBE goal. The detailed goal setting methodology and current overall DBE goal may be viewed on the VTrans website at: ▇▇▇▇://▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇/civil-rights/doing-business/dbe-center/program-goals VTrans currently utilizes a race/gender neutral policy to fulfill its overall DBE goals, and relies on the voluntary participation of contractors to utilize certified DBEs on every project sufficient to obtain the Agency’s overall DBE goal. In order for this practice to continue, contractors must be proactive and solicit bids and quotes from certified DBEs for use when submitting their own bids, and employ certified DBEs when participating on transportation related projects. Otherwise, VTrans may have to implement specified contract goals on projects to ensure the overall DBE goals are met. VTrans may include specific DBE contract goals in certain cases to ensure DBE participation, if failure to obtain the project DBE goal would negatively impact the Agency’s overall DBE goal because of the size of the contract.