If your business is bidding on a government-funded project requiring good faith solicitation of socially and/or economcially disadvantaged businesses and is seeking a low-cost and time-efficient method to fulfill these requirements, then we are your one-stop solution.

We understand that every business is different and, with this in mind, have formulated three service levels for varying needs. Learn more about our three levels of service and pricing on the Services & Rates Web page.

All that’s needed to start your outreach with DBE GoodFaith Inc. Inc. is a username and password. Visit our New User Registration page to sign up, login to your account, and begin the quick step-by-step process. There are no registration or membership fees – you are only charged for each ad you place.
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1.2  Where will my advertisement be published?

Ads published with DBE GoodFaith Inc. can be found on our online Focus and Trade journals. The most recently submitted ads are available on our homepage, www.dbegoodfaith.com. All ads can be found through the Search Ads function.
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1.3  Does DBE GoodFaith Inc. perform the whole good faith effort?

No. Our service can only fulfill the advertisement, search, and solicitation requirements of the good faith effort. DBE GoodFaith Inc. provides each customer with documentation of all outreach performed by DBE GoodFaith Inc. on their behalf. Customers can download their outreach documentation from their user accounts once DBE GoodFaith Inc. completes the solicitation.

Bidders are responsible for other completing other components of the good faith effort. For example, if a bidder is contacted by a disadvantaged business solicited through DBE GoodFaith Inc., the bidder must negotiate with the firm in good faith. Since we are not in a position to know the specifications of a project, DBE GoodFaith Inc. does not negotiate price on behalf of its customers.

It is also the responsibility of the bidder to complete and submit the good faith effort documents to the awarding agency.
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1.4  Many of the ads listed on DBEGoodFaith.com are construction-oriented, does DBE Goodfaith also perform outreach for service contracts?

Many of our ads are for construction because it is the sector with the most demand. However, we do provide outreach services for many firms bidding on service contracts. If you are interested in posting an ad or learning more, visit Services & Rates.
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1.5  What services do you provide for socially and economically disadvantaged businesses? Should we register with DBE GoodFaith Inc.?

The services we offer to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses are FREE and include the following:

• Access to our on-line Trade and Focus Journals that advertise jobs for certified disadvantaged business subcontractors and suppliers;
• Inclusion in our comprehensive disadvantage business database, which is searched everyday by companies inviting subcontractors and suppliers to submit quotes for their bids; and
• Access to news and events relevant to disadvantaged business.

Businesses do not have to register with DBE GoodFaith Inc. to take advantage of the above-listed services.
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2.1  What is the Good Faith Effort?

Many socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprises (BEs) believe that the good faith effort (GFE) is a way for bidders to avoid subcontracting a BE. Some contractors believe that this is true as well, hoping to just get through the process by filling out the paperwork and moving on. This is the biggest misconception of the good faith effort.

Why does this happen? Some contractors simply don't understand the purpose or the process of the GFE. A GFE is not a set of documents that a contractor simply hands in to the awarding agencies to win a project. The GFE is a process that must be followed in order to give BEs a fair shot to perform some useful task for a contract.

BE programs were created to help elgibile businesses participate on contracts that they would not normally be able to bid. The programs are a way to give back to the community and the taxpayers who work for BEs in those communities.
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2.2  How is the Good Faith Effort met?

Prime bidders must consider in good faith all certified and available economically and socially disadvantaged firms that wish to participate on the projects they are bidding. Performing outreach itself does not constitue a good faith effort; it is only the initial step in the process. For example, if an interested disadvantaged firm responds to a solicitation for participation on a project, the prime contractor must consider the business. If available disadvantaged firms are not considered, there is no good faith - regardless of how much paperwork and initial outreach is completed. Awarding agencies reserve the right to deny a contract to prime bidders that do no complete the good faith effort.

It is important to note that third-party firms cannot perform all the good faith steps.  DBE GoodFaith Inc.'s services are designed to help prime bidders locate disadvantaged firms, perform the initial outreach, and provide documentation of the outreach performed on projects that require it. 
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2.3  Can prime contractors benefit from utilizing economically and socially disadvantaged businesses?

The bottom line for any prime contractor is winning the bid. As follows, quotes submitted from subcontractors and suppliers are evaluated based on price - and the prices will either make or break any winning bid. Prices from certified disadvantaged firms are frequently higher than larger subcontractors and suppliers because those larger firms have a competitive advantage over their smaller counterparts. The reason many prime contractors do not list disadvantaged firms as subcontractors for their projects is because they have a higher bid price. A higher bid means a lost bid. Some states, though, have instituted programs to help level the playing field.

The State of California, for example, is encouraging bidders to use small businesses by offering bid preferences. Check with your awarding agency to see if they have a similar program.
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2.4  What laws determine if a project requires DBE participation?

According to federal law, DBE goals are to be included on projects with federal funding. Since the DBE program is a federal requirement, the law applies to all 50 states. Also some counties and cities may include economically and socially disadvantaged business goals based on their own legislation. A contract's bid documents will usually explain the DBE participation goals and requirements.
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3.1  I found DBEGoodFaith.com and most of the ads are directed toward California subcontractors and suppliers. Do you provide your services in any other markets?

At the present time, DBE GoodFaith Inc. can provide Bronze, Silver, and Gold level service in California, New York, and Nevada. We are currently building our capacity to provide these three levels of service nationwide.

In all other states, we can provide our Bronze level of service, which places an ad in our online Trade and Focus journals.

To learn more about our three levels of service, visit Services & Rates.
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3.2  What is the first step in the process of publishing an ad with DBE Goodfaith?

To publish an ad with DBE GoodFaith Inc., simply register at New User Registration. Then, return to our homepage, log in to your personalized account with the newly created username and password, and start placing your ad!
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3.3  Can I be sure that my credit card information will be safe?

DBE GoodFaith Inc. uses a secure server and adheres to strict principles of customer privacy in the workplace.
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3.4  Am I charged a monthly or annual membership rate when I register with DBE Goodfaith?

Advertisers are charged each time they use our services. DBE GoodFaith Inc. does not charge firms for simply registering to use your service. To learn more about our levels of service, visit Services & Rates.
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3.5  How long will my ad run?

Ads will be available at DBEGoodFaith.com until the project's bid date.
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3.6  How quickly can my ad be posted?

If submitted through DBEGoodFaith.com, the ad will be published immediately after its submission.
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3.7  How much information should I include in the “Project Details” text box?

The purpose of the “Project Details” text box is to provide the full scope of the project and the trades & supplies being soliciting from potential subcontractors and suppliers. DBE GoodFaith Inc. recommends that advertisers include the following information in the “Project Details”:

• The awarding agency or department’s name;
• The project or RFP number (if available) and project name;
• The location of the project (city and county should suffice);
• The project’s scope of work;
• The bid items requiring subcontractor or supplier quotes; and
• The estimated value of the project.

The inclusion of these details will provide subcontractors and suppliers with sufficient information to decide whether the project is suitable to the services they offer – saving time in the long-run for both the advertiser and the subcontractors.
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3.8  My project's bid date has been changed. How do I update my ad's bid date?

Select the "Update Bid Due Date" button in your user account.
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3.9  I published my ad and DBE GoodFaith Inc. performed all the required outreach, but how do I receive the evidence of the outreach?

To obain the bid documentation, customers can log into their account, select "View" in the "Log" column for the appropriate project, and download the bid documents from the bottom of the following page.
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