DBE Size Standards Adjusted for Inflation

On April 3, 2009, the US DOT raised the statutory caps on the size standards the DBE Program uses to determine whether businesses are “small.” Using formulas to adjust for inflation, the cap for regular DBE-certified companies was raised from $20.41 million to $22.41 million average gross receipts over the three preceding years. For most Airport Concession DBEs (ACDBEs), the cap was raised from $47.78 to $52.47 million. However, ACDBEs dealing in car rentals rose from $63.71 million to $69.97 million. DBE financial or lending institutions were raised from $750 million to $1 billion. With the exception of these statutory caps, the DBE Program follows the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s small business size standards, which were last
revised in 2008. 

Click here to read the Federal Register Notice.