If you want to bid on federally funded transportation contracts in Kentucky — highway construction, transit projects, airport work — DBE certification is how you get counted. Primes set aside participation goals for DBE firms on contracts funded by FHWA, FTA, and FAA. Without the certification, you can bid, but you won't satisfy a prime's DBE goal, which means many doors stay closed.
Here's what the Kentucky process actually looks like.
The certifying agency
Kentucky's DBE program runs through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) — Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development (OCRSBD). This office administers the state's Unified Certification Program (UCP), which is the federally required single-entry system created under 49 CFR Part 26. One application, one approval, recognized statewide.
Contact the OCRSBD directly:
- Address: 200 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY 40601
- Phone: (502) 564-3601
- Email: KYTC.OCRSBD@ky.gov
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. EST
- Portal: B2GNow at kytc.gob2g.com
All applications go through B2GNow. Paper applications are not the standard path.
Who qualifies
The eligibility rules come from 49 CFR Part 26. Kentucky applies them as written.
Ownership. At least 51% of the firm must be owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Ownership must be real, not nominal — the disadvantaged owner must hold actual equity, not just a title.
Personal net worth. Each disadvantaged owner must have a personal net worth below $2.047 million. Your primary residence equity and the value of your ownership interest in the applying firm are excluded from the calculation.
Control. The disadvantaged owner must control the firm — day-to-day operations, long-term decisions, and the technical work the firm does.
Citizenship. Owners must be U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents.
Size standards. The firm must meet SBA small business size standards for its primary NAICS code and must have gross annual receipts averaging no more than $31.84 million over the prior five fiscal years.
Social and economic disadvantage. Effective October 3, 2025, U.S. DOT's Interim Final Rule eliminated the previous presumption of disadvantage based on race or gender. Every applicant now must demonstrate individualized disadvantage through a written Personal Narrative.
Important note: the IFR reevaluation (2025-2026)
The Interim Final Rule took effect October 3, 2025. The presumption that members of certain racial and gender groups were automatically socially disadvantaged is gone. Every DBE applicant must now write a Personal Narrative explaining specific barriers they personally faced and how those barriers affected their business opportunity. Vague narratives get rejected.
KYTC paused DBE goal-setting activity while reevaluating all currently certified firms. Firms certified before October 2025 had until March 31, 2026 to submit an updated Personal Narrative and Personal Net Worth Statement. Firms that missed the deadline remain ineligible for participation credit until they submit.
New applicants: the program continues to accept applications, with the same Personal Narrative requirement.
Required documents
Kentucky uses the U.S. DOT Uniform Certification Application. At submission, expect to provide:
Business formation documents: Articles of incorporation or certificate of formation (state-filed), operating agreement or bylaws with amendments, stock certificates or membership interest records showing ownership percentages.
Financial documents: Three years of signed federal business tax returns (Form 1120, 1120S, 1065, or Schedule C); three years of signed personal federal returns for all owners with 20%+ ownership; current year-to-date P&L and balance sheet; proof of how the disadvantaged owner capitalized the business (canceled checks, loan documents).
Banking records: Business bank account signature cards; three to six months of business bank statements.
Licenses and registrations: Current business license(s); professional licenses required for the work performed; Kentucky Secretary of State registration.
Owner documentation: Government-issued photo ID for all owners; resumes for all owners and key officers demonstrating technical competence in the firm's specialty.
Narrative and net worth: Personal Narrative explaining individualized barriers and disadvantage; Personal Net Worth Statement (U.S. DOT form) with supporting schedules for real estate, investments, retirement accounts, and liabilities.
Interstate applicants (firms already certified in another state) submit their existing application package plus Kentucky's Interstate Certification Affidavit. KYTC still conducts its own review.
Step-by-step application process
Step 1 — Create a B2GNow account. Go to kytc.gob2g.com and register as a new firm. The full application and document uploads happen through this portal.
Step 2 — Complete the Uniform Application. The form covers business structure, ownership, control, and NAICS codes. Incomplete submissions get returned, which resets the 90-day clock.
Step 3 — Write the Personal Narrative. This is the piece most applicants underestimate. Describe specific experiences, with dates and outcomes, that show personal disadvantage. General statements about industry conditions don't satisfy the standard.
Step 4 — Complete the Personal Net Worth Statement. Account for every asset: real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, vehicles, business interests, and debts. Attach supporting documentation for each line item. The OCRSBD cross-references this against your tax returns.
Step 5 — Submit through B2GNow. Once everything is uploaded, submit. The OCRSBD assigns a reviewer and will contact you about anything missing.
Step 6 — On-site visit. KYTC conducts an on-site review as part of the process. A reviewer visits your place of business to verify that operations match what you described: equipment is present, the owner is accessible, and the business is operational as represented.
Step 7 — Decision. The target review window is 90 days from the date of a complete submission.
Cost: The application is free. No filing fees. If you hire a consultant or attorney to prepare your narrative and documents, budget $500–$2,500 depending on financial complexity.
Annual renewal: Certified firms submit an Annual Affidavit of No Change on the anniversary of their original certification date.
What contracts it opens in Kentucky
DBE certification applies to federally funded transportation contracts. The three primary federal funding streams are FHWA (highways), FTA (transit), and FAA (airports). In Kentucky, that covers:
- KYTC highway construction, resurfacing, and bridge contracts
- Louisville Transit Authority (TARC) capital and operating contracts
- Lexington Transit Authority (LexTran) contracts
- Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport capital projects
- Blue Grass Airport (Lexington) capital projects
- Local Public Agency (LPA) projects where federal-aid dollars flow through counties and cities
KYTC publishes project-specific DBE goals in each bid advertisement. A recent statewide KYTC program management contract carried an 11.95% DBE goal set by FHWA. KYTC's proposed program-level DBE participation goal for federal fiscal years 2026-2028 is 1.18% for transportation delivery work. Project-level goals on specific construction contracts can run higher, depending on the work type and the DBE firms operating in that specialty.
Primes need certified subcontractors for concrete work, paving, signage, trucking, inspection services, engineering, and environmental compliance. Being in the B2GNow directory is how primes find you.
Stacking with other certifications
DBE certification is specific to transportation infrastructure funded by FHWA, FTA, or FAA. It does not carry over to other programs automatically.
SBA programs (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB): Separate applications, separate programs. The documents overlap heavily, so prepare them in parallel if you're pursuing multiple certifications.
Kentucky SBE (Small Business Enterprise): KYTC administers a state SBE certification for small businesses on state-funded (non-federal) contracts. Different size standards, no disadvantage showing required. You can hold both DBE and SBE simultaneously.
NMSDC (MBE) and WBENC (WBE): These are corporate supplier diversity certifications for private-sector contracting. They don't substitute for DBE and DBE doesn't substitute for them. If you're targeting both government transportation work and corporate supply chains, you'll need both.
If you want help with the application
The Personal Narrative is the hardest part of a post-IFR DBE application. It's an essay evaluated against a federal compliance standard, and many owners with legitimate disadvantage still get tripped up by framing and documentation.
CertifyAll at SupplierDiversity.com prepares DBE applications — including the Personal Narrative, Personal Net Worth Statement, and document assembly — for business owners who want professional preparation. KYTC still makes the final certification decision. If the 90-day process and the narrative writing feel like too much to take on solo, that's the option.
Program contact: KYTC OCRSBD, (502) 564-3601, KYTC.OCRSBD@ky.gov. B2GNow portal: kytc.gob2g.com. U.S. DOT Interim Final Rule effective October 3, 2025; requirements may evolve as federal guidance develops.
