Business Resources

Whether you are just starting a business, or your company is already established, certification can open doors to government contracts and boost your business' profits.

Caltrans Small Business Certification Programs

• There are three different certifications, that can help your business – and you may be able to get certified for all of them:

1. Are you a socially and economically disadvantaged American that owns and operates a small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)?
2. Are you a Disabled-Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) owner?
3. Are you a Small Business (SB) owner?

In order to be eligible to bid and perform work on public works projects, you must be registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations.

View Caltrans workshops, training courses, and more on the Office of Civil Rights Calendar.

Visit Caltrans Office of Civil Rights web page to learn more about the bidding process, to find upcoming jobs, and resources that can help you:

• Are you interested in selling to the State of California?
• Or would you like to bid on a small contract (worth less than $388,000)?
• Larger contracts are available on Caltrans' Division of Engineering Services "All Projects Currently Advertised" web page.
• You can also look ahead at the 24-month Advertise Look Ahead page which posts projects that will be advertised throughout the state in the next two years.
• Create an Account to connect with prime contractors online and tell them what your business can do for them.
• Subcontractors can Use the Opt-In Feature to let prime contractors know they are interested in bidding on specific advertised projects.
• Caltrans offers an Electronic Bidding Guide for contractors.
• Order Bid documents, summaries and see bid opening locations
• Sell your items to Caltrans. This is where Caltrans Division of Procurement and Contracts lists items "out for bid" that the Department needs.
• See what Architectural & Engineering (A&E) contracts are coming up throughout the state on the A&E Look Ahead Report
• A& E Contract Information

• Federal
  • Commercially Useful Function (CUF) for DBE Certified Firms
  • Evaluating a CUF
  • FHWA Tips for Evaluating a CUF 
  • FHWA Tips for Evaluating Good Faith Efforts
• State
  • Commercially Useful Function for SB/DVBE Certified Firms
  • Frequently Asked Questions Regarding CUF

• Register your business with the California Secretary of State. They maintain records relating to business entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability partnerships and more.
  • Business Start-up Resources
  • Tax Information

• Department of Industrial Relations Registration for Contractors

• Department of Consumer Affairs Contractor's Bond Information

• California Governor's Office of Economic Development (Go-Biz) serves as a single point of contact for California's economic development and job creation efforts.
  • Business Portal

• The State of California Franchise Tax Board helps Californians file their taxes accurately and timely.
  • Small and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Resources

• Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board processes contractors licenses; additional classifications and certifications, renewals and changes to licenses. They maintain the license and historical records of disciplinary actions against licenses.

• Sell to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The Small Business Administration (SBA) advocates for entrepreneurs and helps them access capital, government contracts, counseling and disaster assistance. A few of the SBA resources, include help to:

• Start your Business
• Write your Business Plan
• Calculate your Start-up Costs
• Fund your business

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) mentor network

1175 Herndon Parkway, Suite 900
Herndon, VA 20170
1 (800) 634-0245
help@score.org

The National Association of Women Business Owners, California Chapter

237 Kearny Street
P.O. Box 428
San Francisco, CA 94108
1-855-NAWBO-CA

Associated General Contractors of California

3095 Beacon Blvd.
West Sacramento, CA 95691
(916) 371-2422

American Council of Engineering Companies, California

1303 J Street, Suite 450
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 441-7991
staff@acec-ca.org

Southern California Contractors Association

600 City Parkway West, Suite 165
Orange, CA 92868
(657) 223-0800
info@sccaweb.org

United Contractors

17 Crow Canyon Court, Suite 100
San Ramon, CA 94583
(925) 855-7900
info@UnitedContractors.org

* Contractor and Engineering Company Associations often have a membership fee. Caltrans is not endorsing any association or group on this list. It is merely providing resources to connect sub-contractors with prime contractors and other resources.

Trainings

Paving Your Road to Success with Caltrans

• An Introduction to the Small Business Program
• Bonding, Estimating, and Labor Compliance for Subcontractors
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification Overview
• How to Make Your Certification Work for You
• How to Market Your Firm to Construction Primes
• Know Your Small Business Resources
• Overview of Caltrans Minor Program (Small Construction Contracts)
• Selling Goods and Services to Caltrans
• Understanding Caltrans Procurement and Service Contracts
• Understanding Small Business Program Codes

Resources

• The Road to do Business with Caltrans - Contracting and Procurement Guide

How to Videos

• Statistical Data Sheet (ADM 3023)

 

NorCal Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Siskiyou and Mendocino counties.

1 Harpst Street
California State University, Humboldt
Arcata, CA 95521
(707) 826-3916

North Coast Small Business Development Center

Prosperity Center
520 E Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 445-9720
Del Norte County
(707) 464-2168

Humboldt Builder's Exchange, Inc.

1213 5th Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 442-3708

Mendocino Small Business Development Center

Mendocino Coast Office
345 N. Franklin Street
Fort Bragg, CA 95437

(707) 964-7571

Or

Mendocino Inland Office
185 E. Church Street
Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 964-7571

Butte College Small Business Development Center

2480 Notre Dame Boulevard
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 895-9071

Shasta-Cascade Small Business Development Center

5800 Airport Road
Redding, CA 96002
(530) 222-8323

Siskiyou Small Business Development Center

Siskiyou Economic Development Council
1512 S. Oregon Street
Yreka, CA 96097
(530) 842-1638

Sierra Small Business Development Center

Sierra Business Council
10183 Truckee Airport Road, Suite 202
Truckee, CA 96161

(530) 582-4800

Placer County Contractor’s Association

10656 Industrial Ave # 160
Roseville, CA 95678

(916) 771-7229

Sacramento County Business Resources

Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange

5370 Elvas Ave
Sacramento, CA 95819

(916) 442-8991

Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba Counties.

1792 Tribute Road, Suite 270
Sacramento, CA 95815

(916) 442-1729

Capital Small Business Development Center

Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
One Capitol Mall, Suite 700
Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 319-4268

Sacramento Asian-Pacific Chamber of Commerce

2331 Alhambra Blvd, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 446-7883

NorCal Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Napa, Sonoma, Marin, Solano, San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara counties.

1 Harpst Street
California State University, Humboldt
Arcata, CA 95521

(707) 826-3916

Napa-Sonoma Small Business Development Centers

Sonoma County Office

141 Stony Circle, Suite 110
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

(707) 595-0060

Napa Valley Community College

2277 Napa Vallejo Highway, Building 3300
Napa, CA 94558

(707) 256-7250

Solano Small Business Development Center

Workforce Development Board of Solano County
320 Campus Lane
Fairfield, CA 94534

(707) 646-1071

Marin Small Business Development Center

Dominican University
79 Acacia Avenue, 104 Bertrand Hall
San Rafael, CA 94901

(415) 482-1819

San Francisco Small Business Development Center

San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development
1650 Mission Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 937-7232

San Mateo Small Business Development Center

San Mateo Community College
1700 W. Hillsdale Boulevard, College Center Building 19, Room 111
San Mateo, CA 94402

(650) 574-6402

Alameda County Small Business Development Center

Ohlone College
39399 Cherry St.
Newark, CA 94560

(510) 208-0410

Hispanic Satellite Small Business Development Center

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Silicon Valley
1887 Monterey Road, 2nd Floor
San Jose, CA 95112

(408) 385-9800

Bay Area Builders Exchange

3055 Alvarado Street
San Leandro, CA 94577

Phone: (510) 483-8880

Or

2440 Stanwell Dr. Suite B
Concord CA, 94520
(925) 685-8630.

info@bayareabx.com

North Coast Builders Exchange

1030 Apollo Way
P.O. Box 8070
Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Phone: (707) 542-9502

The San Francisco Builders Exchange

850 South Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 282-8220

Builder’s Exchange of Santa Clara County

400 Reed Street
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 727-4000

info@bxscco.com

Construction Resource Centers

8055 Collins Drive
Oakland, CA 94621

or

360 S. 27th Street
Richmond, CA 94804
(510) 307-8057
support@constructionresourcecenter.org

Monterey Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties.

123 Capitol Street, Suite B
Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 216-3000

Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center

Cabrillo Community College 6500 Soquel Drive, Building 2100C
Aptos, CA 95003

(831) 479-6136

Golden State Builders Exchanges

820 Park Row #625
Salinas, CA 93901-2406
1-888-472-3492

gsbeinfo@yahoo.com

San Luis Obispo County Builder’s Exchange

153 Cross Street Suite 130
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 543-7330

info@slocbe.com

And

4851 El Camino Real
Atascadero, CA 93422
(805) 460-9670
northoffice@slocbe.com

Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kern and Kings counties.

123 Capitol Street, Suite B
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 216-3000

Central California Builders Exchange

1244 North Mariposa Street
Fresno, CA 93703
(559) 237-1831
info@cencalbx.com

U.S. Small Business Administration Fresno District Office

801 R Street, Suite 201
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 487-5791 ext. 2701
fresno@sba.gov

Southern CA Contractors Association

600 City Parkway West, Suite 165
Orange, CA 92868
(657) 223-0800

info@sccaweb.org

American Indian Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

555 West 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

(213) 448-2333

Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department

1200 West 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017

(213) 744-7300

Small Business Development Center – Los Angeles

4900 E. Conant Street, Bldg. O2, Suite 108
Long Beach Small Business Development Center
Long Beach, CA 90808

(562) 938-5020

LA County Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters

133 N. Sunol Drive, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 881-3964

Southern CA Contractors Association

600 City Parkway West, Suite 165
Orange, CA 92868
(657) 223-0800
info@sccaweb.org

Riverside and San Bernardino County Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters

23555 Meyer Dr
Riverside, CA 92518
(951) 571-6459

Mono County Small Business Development Center

452 Old Mammoth Road, Ste. 306
Sierra Center Mall, 3rd Floor
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
(800) 845-7922
avennos@mono.ca.gov

Regional Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters provides free guidance to small businesses in Alpine, Amador, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Tuolumne counties.

123 Capitol Street, Suite B
Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 216-3000

San Joaquin Delta College Small Business Development Center

San Joaquin Delta College
56 S. Lincoln Street
Stockton, CA 95203
(209) 954-5089

Builder’s Exchange of Stockton

4561 Quail Lakes Drive, Suite B-2
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 478-1000

Valley Builders Exchange, Inc.

1118 Kansas Ave
Modesto, CA 95351
(209) 522-9031
info@valleybx.com

Southern CA Contractors Association

600 City Parkway West, Suite 165
Orange, CA 92868
(657) 223-0800
info@sccaweb.org

San Diego, Orange and Imperial counties Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) - Headquarters

880 National City Blvd, Suite 7100
National City, CA 91950
(619) 216-6671

North San Diego Small Business Development Center

2075 Las Palmas Dr.
Carlsbad, CA 92011-1519
(760) 795-8740

South San Diego Small Business Development Center

880 National City Blvd. Suite 7100

National City, CA 91950-3263
(619) 482-6391

Small Business Administration Inland Empire Office

43-100 Cook St., Suite 104
Palm Desert, CA 92211
(714) 550-7409

Southern CA Contractors Association

600 City Parkway West, Suite 165
Orange, CA 92868
(657) 223-0800
info@sccaweb.org

Orange County Small Business Development Center

1300 S Bristol St.
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 564-5200

Small Business Administration Orange County Office

5 Hutton Center Dr, Suite 900
Santa Ana, CA 92707
(714) 550-7409