We are currently collecting Personal Narratives and Personal Net Worth Statements from certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) firms in our Federal Certification program. This is due to an Interim Final Rule (IFR) issued by USDOT on October 3, 2025, which removed the presumption of social disadvantage based on race or gender.

Increased Processing Times

While we navigate this increased workload, processing times for new applications and renewals with OMWBE will take longer than normal. Here are a few things to expect, if you recently submitted a renewal or applied to get certified for the first time:

• Email notification when your application or renewal is assigned to a Certification Analyst
• Communication from your assigned Analyst, if we need additional information to process your application
• Email notification and official letter when your application has been processed

We appreciate your patience, and assure you that this slowdown is temporary. Normal processing times will resume in the coming months.

Next Steps for DBEs and ACDBEs

If you are federally certified with OMWBE, but your business is headquartered outside of Washington state—please contact the certifying entity that first issued your DBE or ACDBE certification. This is known as your Jurisdiction of Original Certification (JOC).

Washington state businesses must submit a Re-evaluation Application with OMWBE, in order to maintain their DBE or ACDBE certification.

Starting January 5, 2026, you can submit a ‘DBE/ACDBE Re-evaluation Application’ that includes your Personal Narrative of social disadvantage along with a current Personal Net Worth Statement. Please submit your application by February 4, 2026.

Personal Narrative Guidelines

How to submit your Re-evaluation Application

Follow the steps below to submit your materials through our secure online portal:

1. Log in to your OMWBE account through our Access Equity Portal
2. Under "Key Actions" choose "Renew/Apply for Certification"
3. Under “Select an Option” choose “Your firm is currently certified with OMWBE”
4. Choose “You are an existing DBE/ACDBE, headquartered in Washington State, and you would like to submit for 2025 IFR Re-evaluation”
5. Chose ” Submit a 2025 Re-evaluation Application” 
6. Upload your Personal Narrative directly into the application
7. Complete the USDOT Personal Net Worth Statement included in the application

Personal Narratives submitted in languages other than English will be translated by a third-party service.

For more information about writing your Personal Narrative, please refer to our Personal Narrative Guidelines. Additional resources are also located on this page. 

How can I opt-out?

We encourage every DBE and ACDBE owner to submit a Re-evaluation Application, but we recognize that some may want to be removed from the DBE or ACDBE programs instead. If you do not intend to submit a Re-evaluation Application and would rather be decertified from the DBE or ACDBE programs, please:

• Email your request in writing to TechnicalAssistance@omwbe.wa.gov.
• Clearly state which certification you would like to be decertified from.

Businesses that opt out of DBE certification will keep their Federal Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certification, which does not require proof of social disadvantage. We also encourage you to explore OMWBE State Certification, which offers different benefits than our Federal Certification program.