New DBE Interstate Applicant
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New DBE Interstate Applicant

Out Of State Firms Applying for DBE/ACDBE Certification via the Interstate Application Process

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification program is a Federal program. The purpose is to increase the participation of certified DBEs in projects funded by the US Department of Transportation and other federal sectors. Projects typically include heavy construction, such as building and designing roads, bridges, railroads, ports, and airports.

The Program is governed by the U.S. Federal Regulations in 49 CFR Parts 26 and 23.

The Virginia Unified Certification Program includes two certifying agencies:

  • The Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD)
  • The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)

There is no need to submit an application to both agencies. Federal DBE certification by either agency is fully accepted throughout Virginia.

If you plan to participate in the procurement process with one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s state agencies that does not receive federal transportation funds, you need to apply for SWaM certification, not DBE certification. To apply for SWaM certification, please click here.

The DBE certification process differs depending on if you are an in-state or out-of-state firm.

All DBE applications and documents must now be submitted electronically by uploading via the new application system.

Out Of State Firms Applying for DBE/ACDBE Certification via the Interstate Application Process

The Interstate Application Process allows an out of state DBE/ACDBE applicant that is already DBE/ACDBE certified in its home state to, instead of applying for DBE/ACDBE certification as if it were a new, in-state applicant, to instead apply via an extremely streamlined process that is simple for the applicant.

All Interstate Certification Process out-of-state applicants must submit:

  1. A cover letter with its application that specifies that the DBE is applying for interstate certification and identifies all
    UCPs in which the DBE is certified (including the UCP that originally certified it). The form is below:
  2. An electronic image of the UCP directory of the original UCP that shows the DBE certification (ensure that the image of the UCP directory is from the publicly available view and not from an internal view only visible to you when logged in); and
  3. A new DOE (Declaration of Eligibility). The form is below:

The DBE/ACDBE Interstate Certification Process has the following steps:

  1. Complete the DBE/ACDBE Interstate Certification Cover Letter form. The form is below:
  2. Have the ADBE/ACDBE Interstate Certification Cover Letter signed.
  3. Complete a new Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) for each applicable disadvantaged owner. The form is below:
  4. Have the Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) signed.
  5. Refer to the instructions in the DBE/ACDBE Interstate Application Process Required Documents List for which documents to upload to the correct section. The Required Documents list is below:
  6. After reading over the sections relevant to you on how to use the Application Portal, click on the link below to go to the Application Portal:
  7. Once we have all of the required documents for the Interstate Certification Process, we will verify your firm’s certification in its jurisdiction of original certification (JOC) and will certify your firm within 10 business days of the requirements of the Interstate Certification Process being met by the firm.
 
IMPORTANT: For applicants via the DBE interstate process, the DBE certification process does NOT supersede the SWaM certification process. DBE interstate process applications that apply for SWaM certification are required to submit all of the SWaM required documents that appear on the SWaM upload page. The documents needed for SWaM are found at this link: Required Documents for SWaM Applications. If those documents do not appear on the SWaM upload page (usually because you started applying for SWaM prior to October 7, 2024), then you will need to upload those documents as miscellaneous documents. Here is a link to directions on creating and uploading to Miscellaneous document upload spaces: I Need to Upload Documents and There is No Available Upload Space. 
 

If you’re not on the right DBE page, return to the initial DBE page here: DBE.

 

For a step by step of how to use the Certification Application Portal, see the Instructions .pdf at the page here: Application Portal Instructions.

DBE Information and Regulations

Additional Information and Regulations Governing DBE is below.

  • VDOT requires prospective bidders to be prequalified for all construction and maintenance contracts. The contractor prequalification is also necessary for subcontractors. Click here for more.
  • Title 49 – Transportation, Part 26 – Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Department of Transportation Financial Assistance Programs. Click here for more.
  • Title 49 – Transportation, Part 23 – Participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in Airport Concessions. Click here for more.
  • Request for copies of DBE file by Company Owner. Click here for more.
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