As federally mandated, a portion of contracts on highway projects awarded through the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) must be apportioned to firms designated as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, or DBEs. In North Dakota, the US DOT manages the DBE Program in order to ensure non-discrimination in the award and administration of US DOT contracts, create a level playing field where DBE firms can compete fairly, and ultimately assist in the development of firms which can successfully compete outside of the DBE Program.