DBE Certification and Re-evaluation in Maryland

What it's for

Maryland's Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE) certifies Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), Airport Concession DBEs (ACDBEs) and state Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). DBE certification lets a firm count toward DBE goals on contracts paid for with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) money. OMBE is re-evaluating both DBE and ACDBE firms.

Where this state stands

• DOT's UCP status page (updated Oct 2, 2026) shows Maryland's re-evaluation is not yet complete.
• OMBE's Feb. 13, 2026 notice set "April 3, 2026" as the submission date, while noting it "is prohibited from implementing a hard deadline."
• OMBE's May 19, 2026 FAQ: "OMBE continues to accept and process reevaluation applications received after the submission date." Firms "remain ineligible to participate in Maryland's DBE/ACDBE programs until they complete the reevaluation and are recertified."
• OMBE "is only reevaluating certifications for DBE/ACDBE firms that were originally certified by the State of Maryland."
• How firms are contacted: through the B2G system and email. Each firm gets either a "Recertification Letter" or a "Notice of Decertification."
• Where to upload: only in the B2G Vendor Management System, by choosing "Submit a 2026 Reevaluation Application." OMBE says it does not accept email, mail or in-person submissions.
• Narrative format: OMBE posts optional Personal Narrative Guidance with five sections (firm information; specific incidents; effects on education, employment, business and financing; economic harm; supporting documents). No page limit or template is required.
• DOT's final-rule FAQ says "Certifiers must not enforce page limits, mandate topics, or impose any other limitations on an owner's PN."
• The federal rule says the narrative is "a statement of the owner's own experiences, not a technical or legally complex document to be written by consultants or legal experts."
• Federal deadlines (49 CFR 26.111): UCPs must finish by Dec 24, 2026 (DOT may grant "a one-time extension of up to 90 days"). Firms that have not responded get a notice of nonresponse and have until Mar 24, 2027 (or 90 days after an extended deadline) to submit, then are "automatically disqualified."

Have this ready

Re-evaluation:

• Personal narrative, in your own words.
• Current Personal Net Worth (PNW) statement.
• Supporting documents (optional, per OMBE, but they can support your narrative).
• Your firm name and B2G account number for any questions.

New applications (MDOT page):

• Uniform Certification Application (UCA), online or downloadable.
• PNW statement on the official form.
• Documents on OMBE's Document Checklist.
• Personal narrative.
• All documents in ".PDF format."

Steps

Already certified (re-evaluation):

1. Log in to the B2G Vendor Management System.
2. Select "Submit a 2026 Reevaluation Application."
3. Upload your narrative, PNW statement and any supporting documents. Submit.
4. Status first shows "Submitted Pending Receipt." OMBE then reviews for completeness.
5. Watch B2G and your email for requests and for your decision letter. The UCP decides eligibility.
6. Firms first certified in another state: finish re-evaluation with your home state, then send that Recertification Letter to OMBE.

New applicants:

1. Attend a free OMBE application workshop (held monthly, per MDOT).
2. Complete the UCA in MarylandMDBE and upload all checklist documents as PDFs.
3. Optional: ask for a 30-minute cursory review of your complete application.
4. Expect "several months" for the full process, per MDOT.

After you're certified

• Annual Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) continues on your original anniversary. OMBE says the DOE and the re-evaluation are "distinct and independent obligations."
• Report material changes within 30 days (49 CFR 26.83).
• Maryland-based firms certified in other states use the Maryland Recertification Letter there.

Watch out for

• A DOE filing does not count as your re-evaluation.
• OMBE's May 2026 FAQ says decertified firms cannot appeal to OMBE but may appeal to USDOT within 45 days, or reapply after 12 months. Read your decision letter for exact instructions.
• Help from OMBE, including workshops, is free.
• This is a process guide, not legal advice. The UCP decides who qualifies.

What changed nationally, plus DOT's narrative and net worth checklists →

Sources

• www.transportation.gov/UCPstatus
• www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/pages/Index.aspx?PageId=104
• economicmobility.maryland.gov/
• economicmobility.maryland.gov/Documents/OMBE-Secondary-Notice-USDOT-IFR.pdf
• economicmobility.maryland.gov/Documents/OMBE-Third-Edition-FAQs-USDOT-IFR.pdf
• economicmobility.maryland.gov/Documents/OMBE-Personal-Narrative-Guidance-USDOT-IFR.pdf
• www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-19688
• www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-A/part-26/subpart-D/section-26.83
• www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-A/part-26/subpart-F/section-26.111
• www.maine.gov/dot/sites/maine.gov.dot/files/inline-files/DBE%20and%20ACDBE%20Final%

FindMyBids isn't affiliated with USDOT or any certifying agency, and this isn't legal advice. Your state's UCP decides who qualifies. FindMyBids never writes personal narratives and never asks for your net worth figures.