City of Los Angeles (Bureau of Contract Administration / Office of Contract Compliance) DBE Program: How to Get Certified & Win Contracts (2026)
The City of Los Angeles certifies and contracts with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) through the Bureau of Contract Administration and its Office of Contract Compliance (OCC), specifically the Certification, Outreach, Regulations and Enforcement (CORE) Section. Because the City spends federal USDOT money — most visibly through Los Angeles World Airports (LAX) and Public Works projects — it plays a dual role: it is one of the California Unified Certification Program's certifying partners, and it is a contracting agency that sets DBE and ACDBE goals on its federally assisted contracts. This independent guide explains how the City's DBE program works, how to get DBE/ACDBE-certified through the California Unified Certification Program (CA UCP) so you can bid on City contracts, how to find and bid on those contracts, and how to verify certified firms. New to the program itself? Start with our statewide DBE certification guide.
Last reviewed June 2026 — verify current details on the City of Los Angeles' official Bureau of Contract Administration certification page. This is an independent resource and is not affiliated with the City of Los Angeles, the Bureau of Contract Administration, Los Angeles World Airports, the California UCP, Caltrans, or USDOT. Always confirm current requirements, goals, contacts, and portal addresses on the agency's official site before acting.
City of Los Angeles DBE Program: Quick Answer
The City of Los Angeles is both a CUCP DBE/ACDBE certifying partner and a USDOT contracting agency — you get certified once through the California UCP, then compete for the federally funded City contracts (including LAX concessions) that carry DBE or ACDBE participation.
- The City's certifying office is the Bureau of Contract Administration, Office of Contract Compliance (CORE Section), an active CUCP certifying agency for DBE and ACDBE under 49 CFR Part 26 / Part 23.
- You certify once through the CA UCP — a DBE/ACDBE certification from any CUCP partner is recognized statewide, including for City of LA work.
- LA County firms may apply directly to the City; firms outside LA County apply through the statewide CUCP system or the nearest partner (such as Caltrans).
- The City also runs its own City-specific certifications (MBE, WBE, LBE, LSBE, LTE, SBE Proprietary, DVBE-LAWA) that are distinct from federal DBE/ACDBE.
- Find opportunities by registering on RAMP at rampla.org (which replaced LABAVN).
Verify Current DBE / ACDBE Processing Status
Under the USDOT Interim Final Rule effective October 3, 2025, DBE and ACDBE contract goals were paused on new solicitations until the UCP completes recertification, and the IFR removed group presumptions of disadvantage. California's DBE reevaluation deadline was April 16, 2026, and the City stated it would not accept or process new DBE/ACDBE applications until reevaluation is complete. The exact current status as of June 2026 is not confirmed here — confirm the current processing status and timeline on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration certification page before you file. For the statewide picture, see our DBE reevaluation guide.
1. What the City of Los Angeles Is and Its Role in DBE Contracting
The City of Los Angeles awards large volumes of construction, professional services, and concessions contracts, and many of those contracts are funded in whole or part by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) — most notably through Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the City's proprietary department that operates LAX, and through Public Works projects. Federal money carries federal civil-rights obligations, which is why the City runs a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program and, for airport concessions, an Airport Concessions DBE (ACDBE) program.
The certification and compliance work is handled by the Bureau of Contract Administration, through its Office of Contract Compliance (OCC) and the Certification, Outreach, Regulations and Enforcement (CORE) Section. The City's role in the DBE program is both certifier and goal-setting recipient:
Certifying partner of the CA UCP
The City is one of the ten certifying members of the California Unified Certification Program. The official Caltrans CUCP roster lists the City of Los Angeles alongside Caltrans, LA Metro, City of Fresno, SDCRAA, BART, SFO, SFMTA, SamTrans, and VTA. That means the Bureau of Contract Administration's OCC (CORE Section) can itself process and issue DBE and ACDBE certifications under the CA UCP — and a certification it issues is recognized statewide.
Contracting (goal-setting) agency
City departments that receive federal USDOT funds — notably Los Angeles World Airports (LAX) and other Public Works projects — set DBE and ACDBE participation goals on those federally assisted contracts. OCC then monitors compliance, good-faith efforts, and reporting on those contracts.
In practical terms: you get certified once through the CA UCP (the City is one place you can apply), and then the City — wearing its contracting hat — gives certified firms opportunities to compete for and participate in its federally assisted contracts. For how the statewide system is organized, see California's DBE certifying agencies and the role of Caltrans as the CUCP lead agency.
2. How the City's DBE & ACDBE Program Works
The Bureau of Contract Administration's Office of Contract Compliance (CORE Section) administers the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program under 49 CFR Part 26 and the Airport Concessions DBE program under 49 CFR Part 23 on the City's USDOT-funded contracts. The program exists to ensure non-discrimination and a level playing field so DBE and ACDBE firms have an opportunity to compete for and participate in the City's federally assisted work.
A DBE is a for-profit small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The City's program runs on two distinct tracks:
- Certifying: as a CUCP certifying member, the OCC (CORE Section) reviews applications and certifies eligible firms as DBE and ACDBE, providing the CUCP's "one-stop shopping" — so firms need only one certification to bid on USDOT-funded work statewide.
- Contracting / goal-setting: City departments that receive federal USDOT funds (notably LAX and Public Works projects) assign DBE and ACDBE participation goals to individual solicitations, and OCC monitors compliance, good-faith efforts, and reporting.
Beyond federal DBE/ACDBE, the OCC also administers a range of City-specific certifications — MBE, WBE, Local Business Enterprise (LBE), Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE), Local Transitional Employer (LTE), Small Business Enterprise–Proprietary (SBE Proprietary), and a State/Local Disabled Veteran program tied to LAWA (DVBE-LAWA). Those are covered in section 5.
3. The City's DBE / ACDBE Goal
City departments that receive federal USDOT funds set DBE and ACDBE participation goals on their federally assisted contracts, pursued through a mix of race/gender-neutral and contract-specific measures.
No current overall City of Los Angeles DBE or ACDBE goal percentage or period was confirmed from an official source during this research, so we do not state a goal figure here. In addition, DBE/ACDBE contract goals were paused on new solicitations under the October 2025 USDOT Interim Final Rule pending statewide recertification. Confirm the current adopted goal — and whether goals have resumed — on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration page before relying on it in a bid or proposal.
You may see single-project goal figures quoted for specific LAX concessions packages; those are project-specific goals, not the City's or LAWA's agency-wide overall goal, and should not be treated as such. Always verify any goal figure against the City's current published methodology on the official certification page.
4. How to Get DBE/ACDBE-Certified to Bid on the City
You become DBE or ACDBE-certified through the California Unified Certification Program — one application, recognized statewide. There is no separate "City of LA DBE certification" for the federal program: the City is simply one of the CUCP partners that can process your CA UCP application. Here is the path:
- 1
Confirm you are not already certified
If you already hold a DBE or ACDBE certification from Caltrans or any other CUCP partner, you do NOT re-apply with the City of Los Angeles. Your statewide certification is already recognized for the City's federally funded contracts.
- 2
Choose where to apply based on your headquarters location
Firms headquartered in Los Angeles County may apply directly to the City through its online certification portal. Firms headquartered outside LA County apply through the statewide CUCP system at californiaucp.dbesystem.com, or to the nearest CUCP certifying partner (for example, Caltrans). The certification you receive is identical and valid statewide regardless of which partner processes it.
- 3
Prepare your CUCP application package
Assemble the standard CUCP DBE/ACDBE application: business records, business and personal tax returns, and a Personal Net Worth (PNW) statement (the PNW cap is $2,047,000). Since the October 2025 USDOT IFR, you must also include a Personal Narrative individually establishing social and economic disadvantage, because group presumptions were removed. Your firm must also meet the applicable small-business size standard.
- 4
Verify current steps, forms, and status on the official sites
Confirm the current application steps, forms, portal address, and processing status on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration certification page and the CA UCP / Caltrans pages — especially given that the City indicated it would not process new DBE/ACDBE applications until California's reevaluation is complete.
Once certified by the City (or any CUCP partner), your firm is recognized as DBE/ACDBE by all California USDOT recipients without re-certifying. For the full document checklist, eligibility tests (ownership, control, size, personal net worth), and how the Personal Narrative works, see our DBE certification guide and the Caltrans DBE guide (the most common CUCP route). You can also review who qualifies and the application steps.
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Request Free Consultation5. The City's Own Certifications (MBE / WBE / LBE / LSBE) & the LAX ACDBE Program
In addition to the federal DBE program, the City of Los Angeles OCC administers several of its own certifications. These are City-specific — separate from a CA UCP DBE certification — and they are applied for directly through the City.
City-specific certifications (MBE, WBE, LBE, LSBE, LTE, SBE Proprietary, DVBE-LAWA)
The OCC administers a range of City certifications beyond federal DBE/ACDBE: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Local Business Enterprise (LBE), Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE), Local Transitional Employer (LTE), Small Business Enterprise–Proprietary (SBE Proprietary), and a State/Local Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise program tied to LAWA (DVBE-LAWA). Eligibility and application steps for these programs are set by the City — verify the current requirements on the City's official certification page rather than assuming they mirror the federal DBE tests.
LAX airport concessions (ACDBE) program
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) — the City's proprietary airport department operating LAX — runs an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program under 49 CFR Part 23, setting ACDBE participation goals for food/beverage, retail, and other concessions. ACDBE certification for these firms is processed through the City's Bureau of Contract Administration / OCC under the CUCP (LA County firms apply directly to the City). Specific program goal percentages are not stated here; verify current goals on the official site.
Full details on these City-specific programs and the LAX ACDBE program live on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration certification page.
6. How to Find & Bid on City of LA Contracts (RAMP)
City of Los Angeles contracting and subcontracting opportunities are published on RAMP — the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement. RAMP replaced the former Los Angeles Business Assistance Virtual Network (LABAVN); existing LABAVN accounts were migrated over. To see solicitations and bid, you generally register as a vendor first:
Register on RAMP to view and bid on City opportunities and to search for certified subcontractors. Registration uses the City's Angeleno single sign-on account; verify the current login mechanics on the official portal.
City overview of the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement and how it replaced LABAVN.
DBE/ACDBE program and certification details, plus the City's MBE/WBE/LBE/LSBE programs.
7. Verify & Look Up DBE Firms
Because DBE certification is unified statewide through the CA UCP, you do not need a City-specific directory to confirm a firm's DBE or ACDBE status for City of LA work. A firm certified by any CUCP partner — Caltrans, the City of Los Angeles, or another agency — is listed in the same statewide DBE directory and is valid for the City's federally funded contracts.
Who uses the directory
- Prime contractors and concessionaires bidding City work search by NAICS/work code and county to find DBE/ACDBE participants who can count toward a contract's goal.
- Subcontractors confirm their own listing is current and accurate so primes can find and rely on them.
- Agencies and primes verify a firm's current certification status before counting its participation.
Use our DBE Directory page for how to search the statewide CA UCP directory by firm name, work code, or county, and to verify a firm's current certification before relying on it for DBE or ACDBE participation on a City of Los Angeles contract.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Los Angeles certify DBE firms, or do I certify somewhere else?
The City of Los Angeles is one of the ten certifying members of the California Unified Certification Program. Its certifying office is the Bureau of Contract Administration's Office of Contract Compliance (OCC), CORE Section, which can process DBE and ACDBE certifications under the CA UCP. But you only certify once — a DBE/ACDBE certification from the City of LA or any other CUCP partner is recognized statewide by all USDOT-funded California recipients. Firms headquartered in LA County may apply directly to the City; firms outside LA County apply through the statewide CUCP system or the nearest partner such as Caltrans. Note that the City indicated it would not process new DBE/ACDBE applications until California's reevaluation is complete; confirm the current status on the City's official site.
Is the City of Los Angeles a certifying agency or a contracting agency?
It is both. As a CUCP certifying member, the Bureau of Contract Administration's Office of Contract Compliance (CORE Section) certifies firms as DBE and ACDBE. Separately, City departments that receive federal USDOT funds — notably Los Angeles World Airports (LAX) and Public Works projects — set DBE and ACDBE goals on those federally assisted contracts, and OCC monitors compliance and good-faith efforts.
Do I need to be DBE-certified to bid on City of Los Angeles contracts?
No. Any qualified firm can register and bid on City contracts through RAMP. DBE or ACDBE certification is only required if you want your participation counted toward a contract's DBE/ACDBE goal on the City's federally funded work — most often as a DBE subcontractor or, at LAX, as an ACDBE concessionaire.
What is the difference between the City's DBE program and its MBE, WBE, LBE, or LSBE programs?
The federal DBE/ACDBE program (49 CFR Part 26 / Part 23) is statewide through the CA UCP and applies to USDOT-funded contracts. The City of Los Angeles OCC separately administers City-specific certifications — MBE, WBE, Local Business Enterprise (LBE), Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE), Local Transitional Employer (LTE), Small Business Enterprise–Proprietary (SBE Proprietary), and a State/Local Disabled Veteran program tied to LAWA (DVBE-LAWA). Those City certifications are distinct from a CA UCP DBE/ACDBE certification.
What is the City of Los Angeles DBE goal?
No current overall City of Los Angeles DBE or ACDBE goal percentage or period was confirmed from an official source for this guide, so we do not state a number here. In addition, DBE/ACDBE contract goals were paused on new solicitations under the October 2025 USDOT Interim Final Rule pending statewide recertification. Verify the current adopted goal on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration page.
How do I find City of Los Angeles contract opportunities?
City contracting and subcontracting opportunities are posted on RAMP — the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement — at www.rampla.org. RAMP replaced the former LABAVN, and existing LABAVN accounts were migrated. Vendors register to view and bid on City opportunities and to search for certified subcontractors. Los Angeles World Airports (LAX) and the Port of Los Angeles also post opportunities through their own procurement pages.
How do I verify that a firm is a certified DBE or ACDBE for a City contract?
Use the statewide California UCP DBE directory. Because certification is unified, a firm certified by any CUCP partner — including the City of Los Angeles or Caltrans — is in the same searchable directory and is valid for the City's federally funded contracts. Search by firm name, NAICS/work code, or county and confirm the certification is current before relying on it.
Related Resources
Disclaimer: This guide is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the City of Los Angeles, the Bureau of Contract Administration, Los Angeles World Airports, the California UCP, Caltrans, or USDOT. It does not certify firms and does not process applications. DBE/ACDBE program rules, goals, thresholds, portal addresses, and processing status change — and the federal DBE framework has been in transition since the October 2025 USDOT Interim Final Rule. Always verify current details on the City's official Bureau of Contract Administration certification page and the Caltrans / CA UCP DBE pages before applying or bidding.
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