DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM

In an effort to foster a competitive and fair marketplace, COTA adheres to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) regulations, 49 CFR Part 26. As such, it is COTA’s policy to engage with and utilize ready, willing and able disadvantaged and small businesses.

Our policy includes using our best efforts possible to level the playing field in the marketplace by ensuring these firms have the opportunity to participate in the procurement process. COTA has established race-conscious and race-neutral initiatives in the DBE annual and contract-specific goals to provide opportunities in all procurement activities.

Public Notice for fiscal year 2024-26 Disadvantaged Business Triennial Goal

DBE* firms must be certified by the Ohio Department of Transportation Unified Certification Program (UCP), the City of Columbus Equal Business Opportunity Commission Office or the Ohio Department of Administrative Services at the time of bid submission. COTA reserves the right to accept or reject a firm’s certification from other agencies on a case-by-case basis. In making this determination, COTA will evaluate whether the certification was conducted under the standards of the certifying agency.

*COTA uses the term DBE to encompass all companies that are EDGE, MBE, WBE and DBE certified by the recognized agencies listed above. The following are the links to COTA’s recognized certifying agencies:

• City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion Supplier Development
• Ohio Department of Administrative Services
• Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Unified Certification Program (UCP)
• Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV)
• City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion Business Certifications
• Ohio Department of Administrative Services MBE/EDGE Certification

Each of these agencies performs their own certifications, re-certifications and compliance on-site visits and maintains a centralized database on their prospective websites of all certified companies which can be publicly accessed with limited basic information.

The ODOT DBE Unified Certification Process (UCP)

DBE satisfies Section 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations for transportation authorities (49 CFR). In accordance with 49 CFR Section 26, COTA transitioned to the Unified Certification Program (UCP) for all federally funded projects, which synchronizes all DBE certifications with the Department of Transportation (DOT) for each state per the federal mandate.

For more information about your individual DBE certification, visit ODOT online for details and forms. Or, contact ODOT directly at: