BART Opens Contracting Doors to Small Businesses
BART holds free Small Business Summit May 21 to help entrepreneurs navigate new federal certification rules
BART Hosts Small Business Summit May 21
BART's hosting a free Small Business Summit on May 21 for entrepreneurs interested in contracting opportunities with the transit agency. The Office of Civil Rights will hold the event from 8:30am to noon at BART headquarters in Oakland, located at 2150 Webster St. near 19th St. Oakland Station. The summit takes place during BART's Small Business Week, which begins May 19.
Context & Background
The summit addresses recent federal changes to certification requirements under the Interim Final Rule that affect how small businesses qualify for transit contracts. BART's Office of Civil Rights organized the event to help business owners navigate these new requirements while connecting them with contracting opportunities across multiple agency departments. Transit agencies nationwide have been adjusting their small business outreach programs in response to the federal rule changes. The free event aims to maintain BART's commitment to supporting disadvantaged and small business enterprises despite the regulatory shifts.
Key Details
Six BART departments will participate: Office of Civil Rights, Infrastructure Delivery, Procurement, Planning and Development, BART Police Department, and System Safety. The summit features a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Small Business certification workshop focused on the new Interim Final Rule requirements. Attendees can meet BART buyers and prime contractors while learning about small purchase opportunities. Small business owners who've successfully secured BART contracts will share their experiences during the program.
Timeline & Implementation
Registration runs from 8:30am to 9am on May 21, followed by opening remarks from 9am to 9:30am. Small business workshops take place from 9:30am to 10:30am, with networking sessions scheduled from 10:30am until noon. Business owners can register through Eventbrite, and an event flyer is available in PDF format. The summit kicks off BART's Small Business Week, which begins May 19.
Rider Impact & Moovit
The summit supports BART's broader commitment to working with diverse contractors who help maintain and improve transit services riders depend on daily. Small businesses interested in transit contracting opportunities can attend the free event at BART's Oakland headquarters. Moovit provides real-time BART schedules and trip planning for riders traveling to 19th St. Oakland Station for the summit.
