A firm (including its affiliates) must meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 26, Subpart D, concerning group membership or individual disadvantage, business size, ownership and control.
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program is a federally mandated program governed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) 49 CFR part 26 intended to ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts for highway, mass transit and airport financial assistance programs.
DBE, MBE, and WBE are acronyms for various state/county/local agency programs that provide contractual opportunities for disadvantaged, minority, and woman-owned business enterprises.