Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) DBE Program: How to Get Certified & Win Contracts (2026)

1. What LA Metro Is & Its Role in DBE Contracting

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority administers transit and transportation projects across Los Angeles County. Because much of that work is federally funded, Metro participates in the USDOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. What sets Metro apart from a contracting-only transit agency is that it occupies both sides of the DBE program:

In practice, that means a firm can both get certified by Metro (if Los Angeles County is its home base) and bid on Metro contracts that carry DBE goals — though, importantly, you do not have to be certified by Metro to bid on Metro work. Any valid CA UCP DBE certification counts. See how to get certified below.

2. How LA Metro's DBE Program Works

Metro's DBE program is administered by its Diversity & Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD). Its purpose is to increase opportunities for certified small/disadvantaged businesses to participate in Metro's federally funded (and non-federally funded) transportation contracts, and to help prevent discrimination in contract awards. DEOD's functions span the full lifecycle of a small business's relationship with Metro:

Metro also runs a Contractor Development & Bonding Assistance Program (CDBAP) to help certified SBE/DBE/DVBE firms secure bonding for construction projects, and offers Lunch & Learn capacity-building sessions. For current details on these programs, see the Metro certification page.

3. LA Metro & the California Unified Certification Program

DBE certification in California is unified under the California Unified Certification Program (CA UCP). Rather than certifying separately with every transit agency, a firm applies once to a single certifying member and is then recognized as a DBE by all USDOT-funded recipients in California. LA Metro (LACMTA) is one of those certifying members.

Because Metro is a certifying member, a firm whose principal place of business is in Metro's area (Los Angeles County) can apply to Metro for DBE certification — or to any other CA UCP certifying agency serving its county, consistent with the CA UCP rule that a firm applies to the certifying agency serving the county of its principal office. A firm certified by Metro is recognized as a DBE by all USDOT-funded recipients in California, exactly the same as a firm certified by Caltrans.

For the full picture of how the statewide program is structured, see our Caltrans DBE guide (Caltrans is the lead certifying member) and the full list of CA UCP certifying agencies.

4. How to Get DBE-Certified to Bid on LA Metro

You become a DBE through the California Unified Certification Program, not through a Metro-only process. Because Metro is a CA UCP certifying member, a firm based in Los Angeles County can apply to Metro; a firm based elsewhere applies to the certifying agency serving its county (for many firms, that is Caltrans). Either way, the resulting DBE certification is recognized statewide, so you can be counted toward DBE goals on Metro contracts.

What the application involves

The application is the standard statewide CA UCP DBE/ACDBE application with supporting documentation. Expect to provide:

• Ownership and control records demonstrating the firm is 51%+ owned and controlled by disadvantaged individual(s)
• Business and personal tax returns
• A Personal Net Worth statement under the $2,047,000 cap (see eligibility basics)
• A Personal Narrative demonstrating individual social and economic disadvantage — required since the October 2025 IFR removed group presumptions

Once you are certified by any CA UCP member, your DBE status is recognized statewide by all USDOT-funded recipients — so you do not re-certify separately for each agency. For a deeper walkthrough of the documents, timeline, and common mistakes, read our complete DBE certification guide and our Caltrans DBE guide.

5. How to Find & Bid on LA Metro Contracts

Firms find and bid on Metro contracts primarily through Metro's online portals. DBE certification is not required just to bid — but if you are certified, you can be counted toward any DBE participation goals on a contract (subject to the current IFR pause).

A practical sequence: get your DBE certification in place through the CA UCP, register on the Metro Vendor Portal so prime contractors can find you, and watch the portal for opportunities that match your NAICS codes and work categories.

6. Metro's Other Small-Business Programs

Beyond the federal DBE program, Metro runs several of its own small-business programs through DEOD. These are separate from DBE certification and have their own eligibility rules — confirm current thresholds and requirements on Metro's official site, as exact program thresholds, current goal percentages, and dollar figures are not restated here.

7. How to Verify or Look Up DBE Firms

Because DBE certification in California is statewide, you do not need a Metro-specific directory to confirm a firm's status. A firm certified by Metro — or by any other CA UCP certifying member — appears in the same statewide DBE directory. Prime contractors use it to find DBE subcontractors and to verify certification before listing a firm on a Metro bid.

Use our DBE Directory page to search and verify certified firms statewide, including firms certified through LA Metro.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

LA Metro DBE Program — Official Source

Related

• Complete DBE Certification Guide — eligibility, documents, timeline, and the statewide process
• Caltrans DBE Certification Guide — the lead CA UCP certifying member and how its route works
• DBE Directory — search and verify certified DBE firms statewide
• All CA UCP Certifying Agencies — find the agency that serves your county