External Civil Rights Program

Training, Policy Guidance, and Civil Rights Monitoring

• Provides training and case-related technical assistance to DOCR and operating administrations' (OA) civil rights staff.
• Provides policy advice and guidance to OAs and the general public on external civil rights programs and requirements.
• Reviews and comments on regulations as they pertain to the external civil rights program.
• Handles intake and referral of external civil rights complaints.
• Monitors external civil rights complaints and the OAs' complaint handling; tracks and reports on DOT's external civil rights complaints.
• Coordinates with other Government agencies to ensure civil rights laws are implemented uniformly.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Certification Appeals and Training for Recipients

• Appeals of denial of certification or decertification under the DBE program pursuant to appeal processing guidelines.
• Identifies evidence of fraud in the DBE certification process and determines which cases warrant referral to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for formal investigation.
• Conducts training for recipients of DOT funds with responsibility for granting DBE certification requests to ensure standardization and for firms wishing to participate in the DBE program.
• Issues final agency decisions on appeals filed by firms denied DBE certification or have had their certification removed by a FHWA, FAA, or FTA funding recipient.