An investigation was undertaken to enhance the communication between prime contractors and disadvantaged business enterprise (dbe) subcontractors participating on wisconsin department of transportation (wisdot) projects. First, questionnaires were mailed to all 50 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico to compare the implementation procedures among the various dbe programs and identify perceived communication difficulties and potential enhancements. Personal interviews were then conducted with 25 prime contractors and 20 dbe firms in wisconsin to identify specific communication difficultiesand possible alternatives. Difficulties that the prime contractors described include (a) lack of dbe response to contracts, (b) too much effort required to solicit dbe interest in projects, and (c) lack of available information on dbe capabilities. The dbe firms were found to have only minor difficulty obtaining information prior to the monthly bid letting. Their difficulties were related to project-specific issues, including job site scheduling and receipt of timely payments. Five alternatives to enhance the communicaiton process were identified and developed. The first alternative makes dbe project history and nonfinancial information more available to prime contractors when they contact the wisdot dbe support service office. The second alternative increases the availability and usefulness of the planholders list. The third alternative furnishes pre-bid information tocontractors' personal computers. The fourth alternative identifies in the dbe directory which dbe contractors are actively pursuing state work. The fifth alternative identifies prime contractors' and dbefirms' interest in projects using a touch-tone computer system. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1310, Construction innovations 1991.
Samenvatting