Honolulu Rail Work Not Going To Small, Hawaii-Based, Minority Businesses?

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There’s concern that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is skirting its promise to hire small, disadvantaged businesses to help design and build the city’s $5.26 billion rail project.

Federal law requires that HART implement a “disadvantaged business enterprise” program to help small businesses with large numbers of minority workers compete with large contractors.

This requirement is based on the fact that HART is receiving federal transportation funds to build the 20-mile rail line.

Here’s HART’s policy statement from last year saying it has created such a program.

During today’s joint Finance and Project Oversight Committee meeting, the HART board was informed that it’s lagging behind its goal of hiring DBE’s, and at least one local businessman said contractors haven’t hired a single Hawaii-based DBE.

—Nick Grube

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