Policy Update: DBE Program Suspension
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued Revision 2 of Policy #25-07, Suspension of the DBE Program, effective January 2026, streamlining reporting requirements for local agencies. The updated policy eliminates a key administrative burden that has been part of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) compliance process.
The requirement to submit LAPM 9-F: Monthly Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Payment has been removed from the active DBE forms submission process to Caltrans. This change simplifies the reporting workflow for agencies managing DBE programs while maintaining program integrity and compliance.
Local agencies working on federally funded transportation projects no longer need to submit monthly DBE payment reports as part of their active forms submission process. This administrative change reduces paperwork and allows agencies to focus resources on other critical aspects of DBE program implementation and project delivery.
About the DBE Program
The USDOT's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) was established by Congress in 1982 to ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts, help remove barriers to the participation of DBEs in DOT-assisted contracts, and assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside of the DBE program.
The DBE Program has reauthorized it in each subsequent surface and aviation authorization, most recently on November 15, 2021 in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
