ACDBE Certification Guide: Airport Concession DBE in California

What Is ACDBE?

The Airport Concessionaire Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program is a federal program under 49 CFR Part 23. It was created to ensure that small disadvantaged businesses have a fair opportunity to participate in concession activities at airports receiving financial assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The ACDBE program is separate from the DBE program (49 CFR Part 26), though both are administered by USDOT and share many eligibility requirements. The key differences are in business types covered and size standards.

What Qualifies as an Airport Concession?

• Food and beverage services (restaurants, cafes, bars)
• Retail shops and newsstands
• Car rental companies
• Advertising businesses in terminals
• Management contracts and subcontracting at airports
• Web-based or electronic businesses in terminals
• Goods and services provided to other concessionaires

ACDBE Eligibility Requirements

ACDBE shares the same core requirements as DBE (51% disadvantaged ownership, management control, personal net worth limit of $1,320,000), but has different size standards:

Size standards adjusted periodically. Verify at ucp.dot.ca.gov.

Do I Need ACDBE Certification to Bid?

No. Your firm does not have to be certified as ACDBE to participate in airport concession programs. Anyone meeting minimum concession qualifications can bid. However, to be counted toward the airport's annual ACDBE goals — and to have an advantage on concession opportunities with ACDBE requirements — certification is needed.

How to Apply for ACDBE

The application process is similar to DBE certification:

1. Obtain the ACDBE application from the official CUCP website or your regional certifying agency
2. Complete and notarize the application with all supporting documents
3. Submit to the appropriate certifying agency (see below)
4. Undergo the on-site review and certification decision

ACDBE Certifying Agencies

Full contact details on our agencies page.

ACDBE vs DBE: Key Differences

For a detailed comparison, see our DBE vs ACDBE page. The main differences are:

• ACDBE covers airport concessions; DBE covers construction, engineering, and other USDOT-funded contracts
• ACDBE has a higher gross receipts cap ($56.42M vs ~$28.48M for DBE)
• ACDBE is governed by 49 CFR Part 23; DBE by Part 26
• Both share the same personal net worth limit ($1,320,000)