DBE Certification and Re-evaluation in Oregon

What it's for

In Oregon, DBE certification is done by the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID). COBID's documents are posted on Business Oregon's site (oregon.gov/biz). ODOT says it "only accepts Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification from the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity, or COBID." DBE certification lets a firm count toward DBE goals on USDOT-funded contracts. COBID's directory also lists ACDBE (airport concession) firms.

Where this state stands

• DOT's UCP status page lists Oregon's re-evaluation as Complete (page last updated Oct 2, 2026). DOT lists ODOT's DBE page as Oregon's lead UCP website.
• ODOT's Nov 6, 2025 bulletin said "Every currently certified DBE will undergo re-evaluation." It said "COBID will publish updates through their website, B2G certification database, and direct communications," and that "Templates and technical assistance will be provided" by COBID.
• ODOT's DBE page says firms must "demonstrate social and economic disadvantages through individualized evidence, including personal narrative and financial documentation."
• COBID publishes a "DBE/ACDBE Recertification Process FAQ" and "COBID Guidance: Writing Your Personal Narrative" on oregon.gov/biz. Those files and COBID's web pages are closed to automated reading, so we couldn't verify COBID's deadlines, notice dates, page limits or upload steps. Read them yourself on Business Oregon's COBID pages.
• Federal deadline: a firm that still hasn't sent its narrative and net worth statement by Mar 24, 2027 gets a Notice of Decision disqualifying it (DOT final-rule FAQ, Q17 and Q22). Don't wait for that date.
• DOT says the personal narrative (PN) "is a statement of the owner's own experiences, not a technical or legally complex document to be written by consultants or legal experts."

Have this ready

Oregon's own list couldn't be verified. Under the federal rule and ODOT's description, expect:

• Personal narrative (PN) written by the disadvantaged owner.
• Personal net worth (PNW) statement on the DOT form.
• Financial documentation supporting economic disadvantage.
• Login details for COBID's certification system.

Steps

Already certified (re-evaluation):

1. Log in to COBID's certification system and check for open requests or messages.
2. Read COBID's recertification FAQ and narrative guidance on Business Oregon's site.
3. If you never received or answered a re-evaluation request, contact COBID now. DOT shows Oregon's re-evaluation as complete, so firms that didn't respond may already have been decided on.
4. Submit what COBID asks for, in the way it asks. The UCP decides.

New applicants:

1. Go to Business Oregon's COBID pages for the DBE/ACDBE application.
2. Register in COBID's certification system and apply online.
3. Include your PN and PNW.
4. Answer any COBID follow-up questions.

After you're certified

• Federal rules require a new Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) every year on your certification anniversary, with your latest gross receipts (49 CFR 26.83). COBID's own steps couldn't be verified.
• Report material changes within 30 days, with a signed DOE (49 CFR 26.83).
• Interstate certification: not addressed on the pages we could read.

Watch out for

• ODOT does not certify DBEs itself. Apply through COBID.
• COBID's directory lists several certification types. Make sure you are answering the DBE (or ACDBE) re-evaluation request, not a different renewal.
• For questions about DBE contract goals on ODOT jobs, contact ODOT's Office of Engagement & Civil Rights (ocrinforequest@odot.oregon.gov).
• Help from the UCP is free. ODOT's bulletin says COBID provides technical assistance.

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

Sources

• www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-09/DBE_Final%20Rule_FAQs%2009-28-2026_0.pdf
• www.transportation.gov/UCPstatus
• www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-19688
• www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-A/part-26/subpart-E/section-26.83
• www.oregon.gov/odot/business/ocr/pages/disadvantaged-business-enterprise.aspx
• content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORDOT/bulletins/3fa5178
• oregon4biz.diversitysoftware.com/FrontEnd/SearchCertifiedDirectory.asp?XID=2315&TN=oregon4biz

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.