Civil Rights

ⓘ Announcement on the DBE Program

Caltrans announces the implementation of a statewide reevaluation of certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions DBE (ACDBE) firms in accordance with revised federal regulations issued on October 3, 2025. This action ensures continued compliance with federal law while maintaining fair and transparent access to contracting opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.

Under the new Federal DBE regulations (IFR issued October 3, 2025), certifications must now be based on individualized demonstrations of social and economic disadvantage, with no reliance on race- or sex-based presumptions. All currently certified DBE/ACDBE firms are being reevaluated under these standards, and those that do not meet the new criteria may be decertified. During the reevaluation period, recipients may not set DBE contract goals nor count DBE participation toward goals.

Caltrans is working with the Unified Certification Program agencies to reevaluate more than 6000 DBEs as soon as practicable. DBE firms are being contacted by their certifying agency regarding additional requirements to get recertified. New applications will be processed once the reevaluation process is completed. If you have a pending application, please check for new requirements, and wait for resubmittal date announcement.

Recertification Packets are due by April 16, 2026.

Note: Firms certified in another state must provide documentation from their Jurisdiction of Certification (JOC) confirming that the firm has been reevaluated and approved under the new IFR requirements. Caltrans will process Out-of-State applications once it completes the initial revaluation process of firms certified in its jurisdiction. Out-of-State firms will be notified once the process is complete. Until then, firms certified in other states will remain ineligible to participate in California.

Visit the DBE Reevaluation page for more information.

Important Notice for DBE Firms | Cybersecurity & Reevaluation Scams

DBE firms are advised not to click on any links, open attachments, or respond to emails, texts or messages that request information about the DBE reevaluation process unless they clearly come from your official certifying agency (for example, Caltrans or another CUCP member).

Official correspondence about DBE reevaluation will be sent directly from your certifying agency using its normal, verified communication channels. If you receive a suspicious message, do not respond or provide any personal, financial, or business related information. Instead, contact your certifying agency using the phone number or email address listed on its official website to verify authenticity of the communication. 

Please practice strong cybersecurity awareness to protect your firm from phishing attempts and fraud.