Buyer sourcing guide · Arizona

How to Find Certified Diverse Suppliers in Arizona

ADOT, Phoenix, and Tucson certify DBEs through the Arizona Unified Certification Program, and the AZ UTRACS registry is where you search certified DBE firms and registered small business concerns.

By Mario Bailey, Editor-in-Chief · Reviewed against official Arizona and federal sources · Last verified July 2026

Heads up

Verify DBE status carefully right now: under the USDOT Interim Final Rule issued October 3, 2025, existing DBE and ACDBE certifications are being re-evaluated and may not be counted toward contract goals until a firm is recertified. Confirm a firm's current status before relying on it. ADOT says it plainly: firms listed as active in AZ UTRACS were certified under pre-October 2025 rules and do not count for DBE credit until re-evaluated.

Arizona state directories

Start with the official state directory. It lists firms Arizona has certified, and it is the source public buyers and prime contractors use to confirm a firm counts toward state and federally funded contract goals.

AZ UTRACS Firm Directory

Arizona's Unified Transportation Registration and Certification System lists every AZUCP-certified DBE plus registered Small Business Concerns, with firm profiles built for meeting contract requirements.

Open the directory ↗

Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Diversity Council

The regional National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliate serving Arizona. Corporate buyers source certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) through its network.

Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Diversity Council ↗

Federal set-aside firms in Arizona

For federal contracts and subcontracting plans, search SAM.gov and filter by location and socioeconomic status: 8(a), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), and HUBZone. These are separate from the state and council certifications above, and buyers count them differently.

Verify before you rely on a certification

A certificate on its own is not proof. Before you count a Arizona supplier toward a diverse spend goal or a subcontracting plan:

  1. Confirm the record is active, not expired, in the issuing directory above.
  2. Check the certification type matches what your program counts. MBE, DBE, WOSB, and CBE are not interchangeable.
  3. Keep a dated screenshot or export of the directory record for your compliance file.

More Arizona resources

A diverse business in Arizona?

Get certified so buyers find you in these directories. Our guide covers every certification, what it costs, and how to apply.

How to get certified →