Subpart F – Compliance And Enforcement

• Section 26.109 Information, Confidentiality, Cooperation and intimidation or retaliation

Section 26.109 Information, Confidentiality, Cooperation and intimidation or retaliation

We will safeguard from disclosure to third parties information that may reasonably be regarded as confidential business information, consistent with Federal, state, and local law. [Program should summarize applicable state and local law, such as state FOIA laws and how they apply.]

Notwithstanding any provision of Federal or state law, we will not release any information that may reasonably be construed as confidential business information to any third party without the written consent of the firm that submitted the information. This includes applications for DBE certification and supporting information. However, we will transmit this information to DOT in any certification appeal proceeding under § 26.89 of this part or to any other state to which the individual’s firm has applied for certification under § 26.85 of this part.

All participants in the Department's DBE program (including, but not limited to, recipients, DBE firms and applicants for DBE certification, complainants and appellants, and contractors using DBE firms to meet contract goals) are required to cooperate fully and promptly with DOT and recipient compliance reviews, certification reviews, investigations, and other requests for information. Failure to do so shall be a ground for appropriate action against the party involved (e.g., with respect to recipients, a finding of noncompliance; with respect to DBE firms, denial of certification or removal of eligibility and/or suspension and debarment; with respect to a complainant or appellant, dismissal of the complaint or appeal; with respect to a contractor which uses DBE firms to meet goals, findings of non-responsibility for future contracts and/or suspension and debarment).

The [Recipient], contractor, or any other participant in the program will not intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual or firm for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by this part or because the individual or firm has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. If we violate this prohibition, we are in noncompliance with this part.