The California Unified Certification Program (CUCP) provides “one-stop shopping” certification services to small, minority and women businesses seeking to participate in the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. Certification services are offered to businesses seeking to obtain either DBE or airport concessionaire disadvantaged business enterprise (ACDBE) status.

As mandated by USDOT, all public agencies that receive USDOT federal financial assistance must participate in a statewide unified certification program. These public agencies, commonly referred to as “recipients” of USDOT funds, include municipalities, counties, special districts, airports, transit agencies, and the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

The California Unified Certification Program (CUCP) went into effect on January 1, 2002. It is a “One-Stop Shopping” certification program that eliminates the need for a DBE or ACDBE firm to obtain certifications from multiple agencies within the State. A business certified as a DBE or ACDBE through the CUCP is automatically accepted by all USDOT recipients in California.

The CUCP is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the certification activities performed by various certifying agencies, and compiling and maintaining a single Statewide database of certified DBEs. The Database is intended to expand the use of DBE and ACDBE firms by maintaining complete and current information on those businesses and the products and services they can provide to all USDOT recipients in California. Select the “Directory” link on the top to access the Statewide database.

The CUCP certifying agencies are responsible for certifying DBE firms. You only need to apply for DBE certification at one agency. If your firm meets the General Criteria for DBE certification as provided on the Application Package, submit your completed application, along with the requested documentation, to one of the Certifying Agencies serving the geographical area where your firm has its principal place of business.

CUCP agencies include over 400 municipalities, counties, special districts, airports, transit agencies, and the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) that administer and award contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). CUCP agencies are classified as certifying and non-certifying members.

A certifying agency performs Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE and/or ACDBE) certification on behalf of the State of California and this certification applies to all USDOT funded contracts. Certification activities performed by a certifying member include, among others, processing DBE or ACDBE applications, performing site interviews, making certification decisions, investigating certification complaints and appeals, and maintaining a single Statewide directory of certified DBEs and ACDBEs. Contact a certifying member, if you have a question about DBE or ACDBE certification.

A non-certifying agency adheres to all aspects of the USDOT DBE program, except it does not perform DBE certification activities. A non-certifying member accepts all firms certified as a DBE by a certifying member. Accordingly, the DBEs listed on the CUCP DBE directory are eligible to participate on all U.S. DOT funded contracts administered by a CUCP participant. Contact a CUCP participant, both certifying and non-certifying, about contract opportunities. A list of these agencies is provided below.

Certifying UCP Member Agencies

CITY OF LOS ANGELES
Office of Contract Compliance
Centralized Certification
1149 S. Broadway Street, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone:(213) 847-6480
Fax: (213) 847-5566
bca.lacity.org

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO)
Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 922-2600
Fax: (213) 922-7660
mta.net

CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (CCCTA)
Office of Civil Rights
2477 Arnold Industrial Way
Concord, CA 94520-5327
Phone: (925) 676-1976
Fax: (925) 686-2630
cccta.org

CITY OF FRESNO
DBE Program
2101 G Street, Building A
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: (559) 621-1182
Fax: (559) 488-1069
ci.fresno.ca.us

S.F. BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT (BART)
Office of Civil Rights
300 Lakeside Drive
18th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 464-7580
Fax: (510) 464-7587
bart.gov

SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY (SFMTA)
Contract Compliance Office
San Francisco Municipal Railway
1 South Van Ness Avenue, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 701-4443
Fax: (415) 701-4347
sfmta.com

SAN MATEO COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT (SAMTRANS)/
PENINSULA CORRIDOR JOINT POWERS BOARD (JPB)
DBE Office
1250 San Carlos Avenue
San Carlos, CA 94070
Phone: (650) 508-7939
Fax: (650) 508-7738
Email: DBEinfo@samtrans.com
samtrans.com

SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (VTA)
Small & Disadvantaged Businesses
3331 North First Street
San Jose, CA 95134-1906
Phone: (408) 321-5962
Fax: (408) 955-9729
vta.org

YOLO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT (YOLOBUS)
DBE Programs
350 Industrial Way
Woodland, CA 95776
Phone: (530) 661-0816
Fax: (530) 661-1732
yctd.org

Airport Concessions (ACDBE) Certification

LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN BERNARDINO, VENTURA, IMPERIAL, AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES:
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
Office of Contract Compliance
Centralized Certification
1149 S. Broadway Street, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone:(213) 847-6480
Fax: (213) 847-5566
bca.lacity.org

SAN DIEGO AIRPORT CONCESSIONS ONLY:
SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Small Business Development Department
P.O. Box 82776
San Diego, CA 92138-2776
Phone: (619) 400-2569
Fax: (619) 400-2566
san.org

SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT CONCESSIONS ONLY:
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport Small Business Affairs Office
P.O. Box 8097
San Francisco, CA 94128
Phone: (650) 821-5021
Fax: (650) 821-5146
SFO.ASBAO@flysfo.com
flysfo.com