MILBRIDGE – Washington Hancock Community Agency is providing assistance for women- and minority-owned businesses seeking state Department of Transportation contracts and work.

The agency will help business owners get certified as disadvantaged business enterprises. Having DBE certification enables businesses to bid on projects undertaken by the DOT or its many subcontractors.

“It’s a really good project,” said WHCA’s Harold Clossey. “It brings things to a very local level. Prime contractors, not the MDOT, decide the makeup of teams on a project-by-project basis. If you are interested in expanding your market share, the DBE program offers a chance to increase your sales.”

As with applying for many government-spurred opportunities, however, DBE tends to involve the extensive and complicated paperwork associated with virtually every government program.

To help alleviate that problem, the DOT has contracted with WHCA to help business owners wade through the paperwork. The agency will provide assistance to businesses throughout the northeastern half of the state.

“Even though a program can be of great benefit to a business, when the paperwork looks too complicated, many people would just rather not bother,” said Clossey.

“I’m anxious to provide whatever assistance a business owner might need and to keep the application process as streamlined, and painless, as possible,” said Clossey.

To qualify for the program, businesses must be independently owned, and managed or controlled by an individual with at least 51 percent ownership in the company who is a U.S. citizen and a member of one of the following groups: women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Americans.

For more information, contact Clossey at 207-454-3915, e-mail hclossey@whcacap or write Washington Hancock Community Agency, P.O. Box 280, Milbridge 04658.