DBE Certification and Re-evaluation in Massachusetts

What it's for

The Massachusetts Unified Certification Program (MassUCP) certifies Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). Its DBE Certification Office is at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in Boston. Airport Concession DBEs (ACDBEs) apply through Massport's portal (massport.mwdbe.com). DBE certification lets a firm count toward DBE goals on contracts paid for with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) money.

Where this state stands

• DOT's UCP status page (updated Oct 2, 2026) shows Massachusetts' re-evaluation is not yet complete.
• A MassDOT/MBTA public notice dated Dec. 16, 2025 said MassUCP was "developing a process to reevaluate these previously DBE certified firms."
• A mass.gov alert says "MassUCP will be mailing each of you a Request for Information (RFI) and Guidance document to commence the DBE reevaluation process." It says "The response to the RFI will be due by May 26, 2026."
• How firms are contacted: by mail (the RFI letter).
• Where to submit: by mail, not email, to DBE Certification Program (MassUCP), State Transportation Building, Ten Park Plaza, Suite 2600-B, Boston, MA 02116.
• The alert says submissions must be current as of the submission date, and "each line on the Personal Net Worth form must be filled in and no lines should be left blank, include a zero or N/A where appropriate."
• Narrative format: MassUCP's Guidance document was mailed to firms. It is not posted on the mass.gov pages reviewed, so page limits or templates couldn't be verified. 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 (per the RFI alert and federal rule):

• The RFI and Guidance document MassUCP mailed you.
• Personal narrative, in your own words.
• Personal Net Worth (PNW) form, every line filled in (use 0 or N/A).
• Current DBE Declaration of Eligibility (DOE).

New applications (MassUCP list):

• Uniform Certification Application / Required Document List
• Declaration of Eligibility
• DBE/ACDBE Personal Net Worth Statement
• W-9 form.
• Personal narrative (federal requirement; MassUCP's application page does not mention it).

Steps

Already certified (re-evaluation):

1. Find the RFI and Guidance letter MassUCP mailed you. If you never got one, call (857) 368-8656.
2. Write your personal narrative yourself.
3. Fill in every line of the PNW form and complete a current DOE.
4. Mail everything to the MassUCP address above. Do not email it. Keep copies and proof of mailing.
5. The May 26, 2026 date has passed. If you missed it, contact MassUCP right away.
6. Answer any follow-up. The UCP decides eligibility.

New applicants:

1. Optional: register for a DBE/ACDBE pre-certification information session.
2. Download the forms from MassUCP's application page.
3. Mail the completed package to MassUCP/DBE Certification Office, Ten Park Plaza, Suite 2600-B, Boston, MA 02116.
4. ACDBE applicants: apply through Massport.
5. Firms certified in another state: use MassUCP's interstate application page.

After you're certified

• MassUCP sends "a reminder letter 30 days before the expiration date" with the list of items due. The Declaration of Eligibility was formerly called the No Change Affidavit.
• MassUCP reviews your Personal Financial Statement every 3 years.
• Report changes "within 30 days," in writing to the MassUCP Director.
• Keep your contact information current using MassUCP's update page, since notices come by mail.

Watch out for

• Re-evaluation documents go by mail only.
• MassUCP says no line on the PNW form should be left blank.
• Information sessions and help from MassUCP are free. There is no certification fee.
• 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.mass.gov/unified-certification-program-ucp
• www.mass.gov/alerts/notice-for-current-and-prospective-contractors-subcontractors-
• www.mass.gov/doc/public-notice-disadvantaged-business-enterprise-interim-final-rul
• www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-disadvantaged-business-enterprise-dbe-certification
• www.mass.gov/info-details/maintaining-your-dbe-certification
• www.mass.gov/how-to/find-newly-certifieddecertifiedwithdrawn-businesses
• 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.