U.S. Department of Transportation Posts Updated Guidance on Changes to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has published answers to a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Interim Final Rule (IFR) making changes to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.

The document is available on the DBE website here.

The FAQs have also been added to the ACEC resource page on the DBE rule.

In the new guidance, the U.S. DOT addresses how the IFR affects projects that are currently authorized/advertised and projects/contracts already awarded that have DBE goals, as well as open-ended performance plans for design-build projects. It also provides additional information on the timeline and process for re-evaluation and re-certification of firms.

ACEC is finalizing comments to the Department in response to the IFR. The letter will seek additional clarification on the rule changes, including questions that are not addressed in the new FAQs.