Minnesota Department of Transportation

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Civil Rights

Ensuring equal opportunity for all businesses and personnel on our projects

Program updates

This page was last updated October 13, 2025

DBE and valued partners

On Friday, Oct. 3, the Trump Administration announced significant changes to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program – a program that is critical to ensure we have a broad and diverse base of contracting working on federally funded MnDOT projects across the state.

The US DOT issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that mandates states remove race and gender presumptions that help businesses qualify as DBEs and requires all currently certified DBE firms to individually demonstrate social and economic disadvantage, without regard to race or sex, if they want to re-qualify as a DBE.

MnDOT is actively reviewing this direction and assessing the options we have to both stay true to our values and successfully deliver a multimodal transportation system that maximizes the health of people, the environment and our economy. While we don’t have all the answers today, we will remain in touch as we navigate this large change.

Thank you.

Updated DBE Special Provisions effective for Feb. 26, 2025 letting

The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights will be publishing the updated DBE Special Provisions with the MnDOT Letting taking place on February 26, 2025. The updated provisions will be effective for all projects let on and after February 26, 2025. A few of the updates in the special provisions include:

  • DBE Documentation due on fifth day after letting (no time specified, can be submitted anytime on fifth day)
  • Submissions due electronically via email only
  • The updated credit category for distributor at 40% DBE credit
  • Updated Exhibit A
  • Regular dealer/distributor affirmation form

Contractors should continue to follow the special provisions that are published in any current lettings.

Special Provision links

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program

DBE Final Rule

On April 9, 2024, USDOT published the updated Final Rule for the DBE program under 49 CFR 26.  This rule went into effect on May 9, 2024.

  1. MnDOT is working on the implementation plan for the updated regulations. 
  2. There have not been changes to how MnDOT counts credit on project or collects data related to the DBE Final Rule at this time.
  3. Our goal is to be open and transparent about any process changes on our end and provide our stakeholders with the resources to be compliant through training, documentation, and technical assistance.

Implementation of DBE Final Rule

Certification actions are being evaluated under the new rule.  Any decision made by the MnUCP will be reviewed by the USDOT using the new rule. 

Changes include (but are not limited to):

  1. Increased Personal Net Worth (PNW) cap, adjusted for inflation
  2. Certain assets excluded from PNW calculation
  3. Five-year calculation for NAICS
  4. Changes to decertification, appeal, summary suspension procedures
  5. Audio recording required of onsite interview during certification actions
  6. Expedited Interstate certification process
    A firm located outside the state of Minnesota must obtain certification from the jurisdiction of original certification (JOC) before seeking certification in Minnesota. The JOC is the state in which the firm maintains its principle place of business at time of application. If you are DBE-certified in your JOC and would like to become certified in Minnesota, please provide:
    1. A cover letter that specifies interest in applying for interstate certification and identifies all UCPs in which the DBE is certified including the JOC UCP
    2. An electronic image of the UCP directory of the original UCP that shows certification, and
    3. A new Declaration of Eligibility
      Email this to MnDOT Office of Civil Rights.
  7. Annual Affidavit of Eligibility – “No Change” affidavit – sent out on firm’s anniversary date
  8. Calculating supplier/distributor/broker DBE participation credit
    On Jan. 1, 2025, MnDOT will start counting DBE credit per the federal regulation updates to the regular dealer and new distributor category.

Additional Resources:

Targeted Group Business and Veteran-owned Small Business programs

Special Provisions update – effective for projects let on or after Aug. 1, 2024

Preference Increase - from 6% to 12% on MnDOT construction projects, up to $240,000
  1. All business must submit a Preference Request Form prior to the close of the letting to receive the preference on their bid.
  2. The Targeted Group and Veteran-owned Business Preference Form must be emailed to biddocsubmittal.dot@state.mn.us prior to the close of the letting.

See table of changes to TGB/Vet Special provisions including submission guidelines, final clearance process, timelines, formatting, and other requirements.