New York DBE Program

The program summary on this page was last updated on 07/16/2018. If any of the information or links are out-of-date, please contact us.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) operates a Certification Unit which makes the determination as to certifying Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and listing them in the New York State Unified Certification Program’s (NYSUCP) DBE online directory. The DBE program uses an economic standard for making a determination as to the granting of certification, rather than a size standard, as the M/WBE program does. Once certified as DBEs, firms receive a number of benefits, including being eligible to count towards DBE participation goals on federally funded projects when a good faith effort must be made to secure that participation.

Does this local/state program offer reciprocal certifications with other local/state programs? New York State does not offer automatic reciprocal certification. If a business wishes to receive interstate certification as a DBE in New York State, it must provide a copy of its home state DBE certification as well as certain other materials as specified by the NYSUCP.

Does this certification expire? DBEs are required to submit annual no-change affidavits in order to retain their certification as DBEs.

Are there multiple agencies that offer this certification in the state? The four member organizations of the NYSUCP are NYSDOT, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the State of New York, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

Does this program require bidders attempt to make a good-faith effort to meet participation goals? Bidders are expected to make a good-faith effort to meet DBE participation goals on projects with such goals attached.