Buyer sourcing guide · Louisiana

How to Find Certified Diverse Suppliers in Louisiana

The Louisiana Unified Certification Program, run by the Louisiana DOTD with the New Orleans DBE office as a partner certifying agency, maintains the statewide searchable directory of certified DBE firms.

By Mario Bailey, Editor-in-Chief · Reviewed against official Louisiana 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.

Louisiana state directories

Start with the official state directory. It lists firms Louisiana 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.

Louisiana UCP Directory Search

The Louisiana UCP's statewide search of certified DBE firms, filterable by company name and certifying agency (Louisiana DOTD or the City of New Orleans DBE office). The laucp.org site is the UCP portal linked from DOTD's own DBE certification pages.

Open the directory ↗

Southern Region Micro and Small Business Development Council (SRMSDC)

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

Southern Region Micro and Small Business … ↗

Federal set-aside firms in Louisiana

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana resources

A diverse business in Louisiana?

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 →