The Harvesting Business Success DBE Summit gave businesses owned by women and minorities insights into how to better compete for transportation-related contracts
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority, in an ongoing effort to ensure all businesses have an opportunity to learn about and bid on transportation-related contracts, welcomed more than 350 attendees to a summit this week for owners of small business and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE).
OCTA’s Harvesting Business Success SB/DBE Summit, held Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Delta Hotels Anaheim Garden Grove, was free for attendees and included a full day of workshops and networking, including 21 of the largest prime contractors in Orange County specializing in construction and professional services conducting one-on-one sessions with 240 small businesses and DBEs.
“Orange County is a rich and thriving business community largely because of our diversity and the hard work of entrepreneurs who dream big and work tirelessly,” said OCTA Chair Tam T. Nguyen, also a small business owner. “We want to help ensure that every business, small and large, has a strong opportunity to get the resources needed for success.”
DBEs are for-profit small businesses at least 51% owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who also control management and daily business operations, including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and women.
The summit included several workshops on topics including DBE certification, bonding and insurance, grants, and expanding access to capital, among other topics. It was designed to elevate business opportunities by helping people connect with industry leaders to help successfully compete in the often-complex contracting landscape.
The event also featured a keynote address from Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco and a business leader for nearly 40 years.
For more information on OCTA’s DBE efforts, visit www.octa.net.
