DBE and ACDBE Programs
History of the DBE Program
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is owned by the City of St. Louis and receives U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) funds. STL contracts works in conjunction with the City of St. Louis Board of Public Service to contract with transportation construction, design and supply firms to build and maintain several of its projects.
To assist small business formation and growth, Congress enacted DOT’s DBE program in 1983 and reauthorized it in each subsequent surface and aviation authorization.
The DOT DBE program was recently reauthorized by Congress on November 15, 2021 in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pub. L. 117–58, 135 Stat. 429 (23 U.S.C. 101 note), and is codified in 49 U.S.C. 47113 for aviation-funded projects.
The program standards are found in 49 CFR Part 23 (for airport concessionaires, codified at 49 USC 47107(e)) and 49 CFR Part 26.
The program’s objectives include, but are not limited to: Removing barriers to the participation of DBEs in DOT-assisted contracts; Promoting the use of DBEs in all types of federally assisted contracts and procurement activities conducted by the Department’s recipients; Ensuring that only firms fully meeting the eligibility standards are permitted to participate; Assisting the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the program; and Providing appropriate flexibilities to recipients of federal financial assistance in establishing and providing opportunities to DBEs.