Business Growth and Development

Completing a Capacity Building Business Assessment is the first step a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firm completes when requesting DBE program support services. Please review the document and reach out to rosalind.roberson@dot.wi.gov with any questions.

Document management skills are an essential part of owning a successful business. Take a moment to review the document management flyer which outlines simple tips to help your company build a strong document foundation from the beginning. Maintaining organized business documents is the first step to unlocking the many opportunities available to DBEs and achieving new levels of success.

All parts of the bid letting process are important to the success of your business. Take a moment to review the applicable brochure for your business; included are tips and guidance on how to utilize internal meetings throughout the process to your advantage.

• Construction DBEs
• Consultant DBEs

• The Mentor/Protégé program brochure: The Mentor/Protégé program is a business-to-business relationship that allows prime contractors and consulting firms to share their expertise with DBE firms to create a stronger economy with a more competitive business environment. DBE firms benefit as the protégé by learning best practices and building upon their existing strengths in a structured setting with industry professionals. Mentors assist with growing the DBE community by teaching valuable technical and/or business skills on a 1:1 basis.
• DBE Coaching brochure: Coaching is a less formal, shorter-term relationship where prime contractors or professional consultants help DBEs gain insight into strengths and identify areas for growth. Targeted training can often help DBEs gain confidence in their abilities and open up expansion opportunities.
• Capacity Building Business Assessment

View trainings from the 2022 Annual Workshop and Networking Summit:

• Build Your Brand and Stand Out!
• Business Capacity Building Technical Assistance: Strengthening the Ready, Willing and Able Status of DBE Contractors and Qualifications for Accessing Credit
• Business Insurance, Bonding, and Developing a Safety Program
• Cyber Security| It Is Not Optional Anymore
• Toward Ethical Practices

WisDOT DBE Support Services is excited to roll out a new workshop series in the fall of 2022. These workshops are designed to provide training on topics for both contractors and professional service firms to help with the day-to-day aspects of your business to long range planning. Stay tuned for updates and scheduling.

For more information contact:

Rosalind Roberson, Civil Rights Urban Outreach Specialist
(414) 266-1172
rosalind.roberson@dot.wi.gov

WisDOT Loan Mobilization Guaranty Program is designed to help disadvantaged business enterprises obtain working capital after the DBE firm is awarded a DOT subcontractor from a WisDOT prime contractor or professional consultant. The DBE firms must apply for a loan at any bank or Community Development Financial Institution (CDFIs In Wisconsin) of their choice. CDFIs are specialized community based financial institutions that provide financial products and services to people and communities underserved by traditional financial institutions, particularly in low income communities. After the loan is approve by the bank, credit union or CDFI, the prime and DBE will sign a joint check agreement for the bank and the guaranty is then issued by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (AICCW).

For a program referral contact:

Rosalind Roberson, Coordinator
DBE Program Support
rosalind.roberson@dot.wi.gov
(414) 266-1172

Paul Smith, Assistant Executive Director
AICCW
paul@acciw.org
(414) 604-2044

Program Elements

• Each loan is collateralized by a single WisDOT contract or subcontract.
• A qualified participant may receive guarantees of up to 90% of the loan amount.
• Each loan cannot exceed 50% of the prime contractor subcontract amount.
• Terms of the loan is for six months, which can be extended for another six months.
• Loans to any DBE may not exceed $100,000 at any given time.
• Loan proceeds are used as working capital necessary to mobilize a WisDOT project.
• Joint paychecks will be issued to lender and DBE until loan is paid in full.
• Any Wisconsin bank or credit union is eligible to get this guarantee for loans granted under the program.
• WisDOT or consultant follows up with lending institution and DBE on a regular basis until loan is repaid.

View the brochure for the Loan Mobilization Guaranty Program

Testimonials

“WisDOT loan guaranty helped Arrow Crete during critical times in improving our cash flow. The application process in its current setup having a third independent party assisting DBEs in going through the application is excellent, because when one bank denied us, the Disadvantage Business Enterprise Supportive Service (DBESS) consultant was able to identify other banks for us to do business with.”
Ann Neshek, Vice President, Arrow Crete Inc.

“In general, construction firms are difficult to finance because of their repayment risks and timing of the cash flows. Having a loan guaranty program provided by WisDOT, for DBEs, it diminishes the difficulties of timing differences between needing working capital and collecting receivables, and from the bank’s perspective, it’s easier to approve the loan application.”
Paul Farrelly, President-Commercial Lending, Community Bank and Trust

“WisDOT loan guaranty program has helped DAAR Engineering tremendously, we would not have been able to grow to where our company is today without it. As our company participated in the Marquette Interchange project, this loan guaranty was a very important component in developing and growing our business capacity.”
Abdul Hamid Ali, President, DAAR Engineering Inc.

“When Bloom Consultants was growing rapidly, hiring additional staff and our receivable was coming in rather slow, WisDOT loan guaranty program helped us in paying our payroll and bills on time. With the start of the Marquette Interchange project, the guaranty program is a necessity for DBEs such as ours to assist us with our cash flow.”
Matthew Tharaniyil, Owner, Bloom Consultants LLC.