MARTA Boosts Commitment to Small and Disadvantaged Businesses

Dec. 18, 2014
To support economic opportunity and job creation, MARTA will increase its support for Georgia’s Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE).

To support economic opportunity and job creation, MARTA will increase its support for Georgia’s Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE). Projects using federal dollars will now have a 30 percent DBE participation goal from 2015-2017. 

With approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), MARTA sets its triennial goal. The current goal, set to expire at the end of the year, is 27.75 percent for federally funded projects. For the first time in more than five years, MARTA surpassed its current DBE goal, representing a 10 percent increase in DBE participation over the prior year.   

“We want to give small and disadvantaged businesses, including minority and women-owned businesses, the opportunity to compete and grow their enterprises which will help to boost our state and local  economy,” said MARTA GM/CEO Keith T. Parker. 

Through its Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (DEO), led by Ferdinand L. Risco, MARTA has worked closely with regional and state partners to support and cultivate small business growth in metro Atlanta. 

“While the economy continues to bounce back, our office has increased outreach to area small and disadvantaged businesses, said Risco. “Exceeding our current goal with a 29 percent participation rate from these businesses shows our efforts are paying off. ” 

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the small business sector is rapidly growing, providing more than half of all jobs to the American economy.