The state Department of Transportation is inviting business owners who provide construction, construction-related professional services or concessions to a series of focus group sessions next week on O'ahu and Maui.

The focus groups are part of the department's Disparity Study to gather information about its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program.

Focus groups will be held Monday and Tuesday on O'ahu, and on Wednesday on Maui.

Monday's session will be geared toward minority- and women-owned businesses, while Tuesday will be for all other businesses. The sessions will be broken down as follows: 10 a.m. to noon, architectural, engineering and other construction-related consulting firms; 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and related firms; and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m, concession firms.

The O'ahu sessions will held at the Airport Conference Center on the seventh floor of the Honolulu International Airport's Interisland Terminal Building.

On Wednesday, there will be a session from 10 a.m. to noon for minority- and women-owned businesses followed by a session from 1 to 3 p.m. for all other businesses.

The Maui sessions will be held at the Department of Transportation, Maui District Office at 650 Palapala Drive in Kahului.

Breakfast, lunch or snacks will be provided for all sessions.

To register for the focus groups or for more information about the study, contact Pauline Worsham at 263-5544, 497-4084 or e-mail pauline@pmwconsult.com.