South Dakota DBE Program

Learn about the disadvantaged business enterprise program for the State of South Dakota.

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Welcome Back, DBEs!

DBE Program Info

The Department’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program is designed to remedy ongoing discrimination and the continuing effects of past discrimination in federally-assisted highway, transit, airport, and highway safety financial assistance transportation contracting markets nationwide. 

The primary remedial goal and objective of the SD DBE program is to level the playing field by providing small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals a fair opportunity to compete for federally funded transportation contracts.

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Funded through the Federal Highway Administration, the SDDOT DBE Business Development Program (BDP) is intended to support SD DBE program participants. The DBE Business Development program is designed to give you and your team the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to grow your business.

We work directly with you, the business owner, to identify organizational goals and areas of focus that will help move your business forward. We work hard to develop relationships with our clients to truly understand the personality and culture of your business so that we can uniquely tailor curriculum based on the current stage of your business and help determine growth strategies.
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Project Solutions, Inc. serves as the support services provider for the South Dakota DOT DBE program. As the support service provider, Project Solutions has a team of professionals that can help support your business, no matter the need. From application assistance while getting certified to business development after you have received your certification, here are some of the services we offer:

  • Application and Program Assistance
  • Business Development Training Opportunities
  • Capability Statement Development
  • Writing a Business Plan

Our resource library of training videos and other resources will be your go-to platform for taking your SD DBE business to the next level. Training videos on topics like:

  • Certified Payroll
  • Managing & Leading
  • Communication
  • Social Media
  • Job Costing
  • Onboarding and Employee Retention
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Ready to Apply?

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Featured Training

Writing Your Personal Narrative

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Announcements

DBE Recertification

South Dakota–based DBE firms that wish to be reevaluated for participation in the updated SDDOT DBE Program are encouraged to submit their Personal Narrative (PN) and Personal Net Worth (PNW) Statement by March 27.

Submitting your reevaluation documents by the March 27 target date will help ensure your firm is eligible to participate as a certified DBE once SDDOT completes the review process and resumes full DBE participation on federally funded projects. Timely submissions also support SDDOT in developing its triennial DBE goal by providing an accurate baseline of active, eligible DBE firms.

Firms may submit their PN and PNW documents by emailing Kyle.Watkins@state.sd.us, or they may contact Kyle at 605.773.4906 to request a SharePoint folder for secure document upload.

Under current IFR requirements, all South Dakota DBE firms are temporarily listed as inactive until they complete the reevaluation process.
  • Firms that do not submit the required documents will remain inactive, and their participation on projects will not count toward DBE goals.
  • Firms that are not interested in moving forward at this time should notify Kyle Watkins of their decision.
  • Firms that are unsure may choose to submit their documents at a later date; reevaluation can occur anytime, but firms will remain inactive until it is completed.
If you have any questions about the reevaluation process or IFR requirements, please contact:
Kyle Watkins, SDDOT DBE Program Coordinator
605.773.4906
Kyle.Watkins@state.sd.us
 
Support and Resources Available for Preparing Your Personal Narrative
Project Solutions Inc. (PSI), the Supportive Services provider for SDDOT, is available to assist South Dakota DBE firms with drafting their Personal Narrative (PN) as part of the DBE recertification process. Firms seeking individualized assistance may schedule a one‑on‑one meeting with a PSI consultant by emailing dbe@projectsolutionsinc.com.

If you were unable to attend one of the live Personal Narrative Workshops, SDDOT has posted the full PN Workshop video on the DBE website to help firms prepare their narratives. Several supporting resources are also available, including:

Firms are encouraged to review the workshop recording and available materials prior to submitting their narrative or before scheduling a one‑on‑one meeting with PSI.

Below are direct links to the PN Workshop video and SDDOT’s DBE Reevaluation page:

Featured Article

Scaling your Business: Strategies for Sustainable Growth

Scaling a business is more than just increasing revenue or expanding operations – it’s about building a resilient foundation for long-term success. Whether you’re a startup ready to take the next leap or an established company seeking to broaden your impact, sustainable growth requires strategic planning, adaptability, and a deep understanding of your market and resources. In this article, we will discuss proven strategies that not only drive expansion but also ensure that your business remains agile, efficient, and aligned with its core values so that you can expand with purpose and confidence.

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