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Certification

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) certifies Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) according to federal law. A DBE is a small, for-profit business that is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

In State Certification

If you wish to be considered for DBE certification, your business must meet the following general guidelines:

  1. The business must be at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. A socially disadvantaged individual is a citizen (or lawfully admitted permanent resident) who is a member of one of the following groups: Black American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian-Pacific American, Subcontinent American, or Female.

  2. The company must be an independent business, and one or more of the socially disadvantaged owners must control its management and daily operations.

  3. Only existing “for-profit” businesses may be certified, and DBE applicants are subject to applicable small business size standards (average annual gross receipts not to exceed $30.72 million over the previous three fiscal years). 

  4. The Personal Net Worth (PNW) of each socially and economically disadvantaged owner must not exceed $2.047 million.

  5. Use this application to apply for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification. This application is only for businesses residing in the State of Vermont. For assistance with this application, contact Diane Meyerhoff, 802.865.1794. 

Applicants are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) prior to completing the application.

Out-of-State Certification

To request certification, please complete the online Out-of-State Certification Request Form, then email the following documentation to Sonya Boisvert. 

  1. An electronic image of the DBE directory from your home state (screenshot or snip); and
     
  2. A signed Declaration of Eligibility 

Once certified, to ensure continued program eligibility, all DBEs are required to submit their paperwork for the annual DBE certification review during the month they certified in their home state.

Annual Renewal

The DBE renewal deadline aligns with your original home state certification date. Keep an eye out for an email reminder from VTrans.

To continue your DBE certification status with VTrans, please submit the following documents:

  • Signed Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) (formerly known as Annual Affidavit).
  • Copy of your firm’s latest income tax return.
  • A list of all Unified Certification Programs that have certified the firm as a DBE.
  • For non-Vermont based firms, include an electronic image (screenshot or snip) of the DBE directory of the original Jurisdiction of Certification (JOC), (formerly known as home state certification).

All information and required documentation must be submitted to the application portal on or before the due date. Instructions for accessing the portal can be found here. Failure to return the necessary documentation could result in the suspension of your firm from the VTrans DBE program. 

If you are unable to submit through the portal (our preferred method), the documents may be mailed to the VTrans Bureau of Civil Rights, 219 North Main Street, Barre, VT 05461. Please note that this may delay your renewal. Due to state regulations regarding sensitive financial documents, we will not accept this information via email.