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Office of Business Advancement & Engagement

Immediate Changes Being Made to DBE Program Regulations

All DBE firms previously certified using race- or sex-based presumptions of social and economic disadvantage must be reevaluated by SEPTA.

More information is available in the US Department of Transportation’s Code of Federal Regulations and Office of Civil Rights Guidance.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program

SEPTA administers its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program in accordance with Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 26, as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The purpose of the DBE Program is to ensure that small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals have equal opportunities to participate in DOT-assisted contracts.

DBE Eligibility Requirements

To be certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) with SEPTA, a business must be a small business that is 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s):

Social and Economic Disadvantage (§ 26.67)

  1. Socially and economically disadvantaged individual means any individual who is a citizen (or lawfully admitted permanent resident) of the United States and who a certifier finds to be socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis. A determination that an individual is socially and economically disadvantaged must not be based in whole or in part on race or sex.
  2. To apply for certification, every firm must submit a Personal Narrative (PN) demonstrating on an individual basis that they are socially and economically disadvantaged, based on their own experiences and circumstances within American society without reliance on race or sex.
  3. The social and economically disadvantaged owners (SEDO) cannot have a personal net worth that exceeds $2.047 million. The SEDO must provide a Personal Net Worth statement verifying their net worth.
  4. The firm must be a small business according to the Small Business Administration (SBA) guidelines and the 3-year average annual gross receipts cannot exceed the DBE Statutory cap, currently $31.84 million.
  • To ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of US Department of Transportation-assisted contracts in the Department’s highway, transit and airport financial assistance programs.
  • To create a level playing field on which DBEs can compete fairly for DOT-assisted contracts.
  • To ensure that the Department’s DBE program is narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law.
  • To ensure that only firms that fully meet this part’s eligibility standards are permitted to participate as DBEs.
  • To help remove barriers to the participation of DBEs in DOT-assisted contracts.
  • To promote the use of DBEs in all types of federally assisted contracts and procurement activities conducted by recipients.
  • To assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the DBE program.
  • To provide appropriate flexibility to recipients of Federal financial assistance in establishing and providing opportunities for DBEs.
Read More About DBE Certification

Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program

In accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regulations 26.39: Fostering Small Business Participation, SEPTA has amended its DBE Program Plan to include a Small Business element. SEPTA’s Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program is designed to create fair and equitable opportunities for small businesses to participate in SEPTA’s contracting and procurement opportunities. The program supports the growth and inclusion of independently owned and operated small businesses that meet size standards establish by the governing authority (such as the Small Business Administration in the U.S. or a local certifying agency).

To be certified as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) with SEPTA, a firm must meet the following eligibility standards:

  • The company must meet the size standards for small businesses as revised by the Small Business Administration (SBA) for the industry in which it works
  • The economically disadvantaged owner(s) must not exceed personal net worth of $2.047 Million, excluding the value of their primary residence and the value of the company
  • The 3-year average annual gross receipts cannot exceed the DBE Statutory cap
  • The disadvantaged ownership also meets the same ownership, management, and control requirements of the DBE Program
  • To be eligible for SBE participation, firms must be registered in SEPTA’s Electronic Procurement System (ePS)

How to apply:

Eligible firms interested in becoming certified as a Small Business Enterprise can apply through SEPTA’s online certification portal.

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Goals and Methodology

In accordance with the DBE regulations codified at 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26(49 CFR, Part 26), SEPTA developed its triennial DBE participation methodology and goal (PDF).

The DBE goal established for federal Fiscal years 2021 through 2023 is 13 percent.

Proposed 2024-2026 Goal and Methodology

SEPTA’s Proposed DBE goal for Fiscal Years 2024 through 2026 is 19 percent. Download the related documents:

SEPTA supports equal opportunity for small, minority, and women-owned businesses. View SEPTA’s DBE Policy Statement (PDF).