District of Columbia CBE Program

The program summary on this page was last updated on 04/12/2023. If any of the information or links are out-of-date, please contact us.

One of the roles of Washington, D.C.'s Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) is to certify eligible companies as Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs). As a CBE, a company can receive preference when it comes to the award of D.C.'s public contracts. As a CBE, a business can have various statuses, including: Local Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise, Veteran Owned Business, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

Does this certification expire? All new certifications are valid for three years from the certification date. A self-recertification process may be performed online through the same portal by which new applications are made, if a business meets certain criteria for such self-recertification.

Does this program require bidders attempt to make a good-faith effort to meet participation goals? The Office of Contracting and Procurement has a goal of utilizing Small Business Enterprises generally for 50 percent of the total dollar value of contracts, but a CBE, more specifically, may also be eligible to receive certain preference points assigned to their bid on certain projects.