DBE Certification and Re-evaluation in Vermont

What it's for

In Vermont, the Agency of Transportation (AOT, also called VTrans) runs the Unified Certification Program and certifies Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) under 49 CFR Part 26. Certification lets a firm count toward DBE goals on USDOT-funded contracts. AOT's re-evaluation FAQ also covers Airport Concession DBEs (ACDBEs).

Where this state stands

• DOT's UCP status page lists Vermont's re-evaluation as not complete (In progress) as of Oct 2, 2026.
• AOT says that after the Oct 3, 2025 interim rule it paused goal-setting and DBE/ACDBE awards during the transition.
• AOT's FAQ says firms "that do not complete the reevaluation form by the submission date will be suspended and removed from the AOT DBE Directory." Suspended firms cannot count toward DBE participation "until they submit the required documentation." The exact submission date was not found on the pages reviewed. Ask AOT Civil Rights.
• AOT publishes Personal Narrative Guidance. It says the narrative should be "approximately three pages," though it may be "more or fewer pages depending on the complexity of your experiences." It lists topics to cover (education or training, employment, business ownership, access to financing, comparison to others, and economic harm). Narratives must be "signed and dated by the owner(s)."
• Under the federal final rule (published Sep 25, 2026), UCPs must finish re-evaluations within 90 days (by Dec 24, 2026), with one possible 90-day DOT extension. Firms that haven't submitted by Mar 24, 2027 are disqualified (DOT final-rule FAQ, Q17 and Q22).

Have this ready

For each qualifying owner:

• A signed and dated Personal Narrative (PN), in the owner's own words.
• An updated Personal Net Worth (PNW) statement.
• Supporting financial documents. AOT's FAQ lists examples such as tax returns, bank statements, property records and loan documents.

New applicants also need:

• The USDOT Uniform Certification Application (UCA) and the attachments it lists.

Steps

Already certified (re-evaluation):

1. Read AOT's Re-evaluation FAQ and Personal Narrative Guidance.
2. Each qualifying owner writes and signs their own narrative. The UCP decides if you qualify.
3. Gather the PNW statement and supporting documents for each owner.
4. Submit through the AOT application portal (http://gs.vtrans.vermont.gov/Web/Account/Login.htm), or mail to AOT Civil Rights Bureau, 219 N. Main Street, Barre, VT 05641.
5. Email AOT.CivilRights@vermont.gov to confirm your submission date and that your package is complete.

New applicants:

1. Email AOT.CivilRights@vermont.gov to request portal logon credentials ("Logon credentials will be sent upon request").
2. Submit the UCA, PNW statement, Personal Narrative for each qualifying owner, and attachments.
3. Expect an on-site visit to your business after AOT receives a complete application.

After you're certified

• Each year, submit a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) and a copy of your latest income tax return. AOT says it sends an email reminder 30 days ahead.
• Out-of-state firms also list all UCPs that certify them and send a screenshot from their home-state directory.
• Report changes to AOT Civil Rights (no Vermont-specific change form found).
• Out-of-state firms apply for interstate certification with AOT; the annual deadline lines up with the home-state certification date.

Watch out for

• Missing the re-evaluation submission date means suspension and removal from the directory.
• Each disadvantaged owner needs their own narrative and PNW package.
• AOT's Vermont Business Development Program offers free one-on-one help to certified firms (contact colleen.montague@vermont.gov). Help from the UCP is free.

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
• public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-19688.pdf
• vtrans.vermont.gov/node/287
• vtrans.vermont.gov/node/298
• vtrans.vermont.gov/sites/aot/files/civilrights/documents/dbe/DBEandACDBEReevaluationProc
• vtrans.vermont.gov/sites/aot/files/civilrights/documents/dbe/AOTPersonalNarrativeGuidanc
• vtrans.vermont.gov/civil-rights/doing-business/dbe-center
• vtrans.vermont.gov/civil-rights/doing-business/dbe-center/supportive-services

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.