Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Businesses

The Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs) are administered under the Minority Resource Center (MRC) Program codified at 49 U.S.C. § 332(b) (4), (5) & (7). This statute directs the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), through its Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), to provide assistance, advocacy, and outreach to small businesses in the transportation industry. The MRC fulfills this mandate through business training, technical assistance, access to capital, and opportunities for participation in transportation-related projects and contracts. Funding to carry out the MRC Program and its related initiatives, including the SBTRCs, is provided through annual appropriations by Congress to the USDOT Office of the Secretary (OST) under the budget heading: “Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), Minority Resource Center (MRC).