Attention Certified DBE/ACDBE Firms: On September 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) revising certain regulations governing the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programs. These changes took effect on October 3, 2025.
As part of the IFR, USDOT amended 49 CFR Parts 26 and 23, removing the prior race- and sex-based presumptions of social and economic disadvantage. Under the new rule, determinations of disadvantage must be made on an individual basis. Specifically:
49 CFR §26.5 – “Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual” means any individual who is a U.S. citizen (or lawfully admitted permanent resident) and who a [DBE/ACDBE Program] certifier finds to be socially and economically disadvantaged based on individualized proof, and not in whole or in part on race or sex.
To follow the new federal requirements, the Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LAUCP) must now reevaluate all currently certified DBE and ACDBE firms. During this process, your certifying agency will:
- Review your firm’s eligibility under the new rule.
- Recertify your firm if you meet the updated standards; or
- Decertify your firm only if you do not meet the new standards or do not respond to the LAUCP re-evaluation request.
To start this process, please let LADOTD know if your firm would like to continue participating in the LAUCP by confirming that you want to be re-evaluated under the new IFR standards.
To do this, please respond to the LAUCP re-evaluation request promptly by:
- Completing the official Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LAUCP) Firm Re-evaluation Response Form.
- Printing out AND Signing your form; and,
- Returning your completed form to 2025IFRCompliance@la.gov.
Please note that each LAUCP certifying agency has its own response form. The form used here is for LADOTD certified DBEs only.
If you have already submitted this form, thank you for your cooperation.
If you have not yet submitted the form, it is imperative that the LADOTD Compliance Programs Section receive your completed form via email to: 2025IFRCompliance@la.gov no later than the submission date of Friday, January 30, 2026.
Questions? Please email dbesupport@urbanleaguela.org.