Application Qualification & Process

DBE Overview

The DBE Program, which has been developed under the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) policies, is administered by the Civil Rights Bureau.

Qualifications

To become a certified DBE:

1. Must have a small business (by SBA Standards)
2. NTE a $28.48 million (three-year average) gross income.
3. Personal net worth does not exceed $1.32 million
4. Company must be owned (at least 51 percent) by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s).
   • Determined by the Federal Government for socially and economically disadvantaged are women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and Subcontinent Asian Americans.

Three Key Areas in Application

1. Initial Investment: The firm’s socially and economically disadvantaged majority owner must contribute capital, equipment, expertise (or something comparable to acquire their ownership interests.)
   • Must be consistent with ownership percentage
   • Can be made up of capital, equipment, merchandise, and or expertise, (but it must be applicable to what the most important components are to the business.)
   • Cannot be a gift from a non-disadvantaged individual.
   • Loans or lines of credit must reflect collateral.
2. Expertise: The socially and economically disadvantaged majority owner must have an overall understanding of, and managerial and technical competence and experience directly related to, the type of business in which the firm is engaged and the firm's operations.
   • Must be in the field
   • Cannot be limited to bookkeeping or administrative work
3. Control: Only an independent business may be certified as a DBE. An independent business is where the viability does not depend on its relationship with another firm or firms.
   • Cannot be a figurehead owner or someone who defers key decisions to a minority owner, or more experienced foreman or manager, or an outside firm the applicant firm is working with.
   • Cap to $28.48 million for the three-year average of gross receipts

Application Process

1. Fill out DBE Uniform Certification Application
2. Must include supporting documents, e.g. personal net worth statement, information about business, personal and business tax returns for three years, and other pertinent documents requested on last document of application form(s)
3. After paperwork has been submitted, and all documents have been correctly submitted, the next phase of application process is a site visit.
   • For heavy construction equipment, a site visit typically entails a job site visit; DOT certifying representative verifies equipment, employees, etc.
   • For other types of businesses, a site visit is typically done at their business office.