Buyer sourcing guide · Vermont

How to Find Certified Diverse Suppliers in Vermont

Vermont's Agency of Transportation runs the state's only diverse business certification, the federal DBE program, and its Office of Civil Rights publishes the certified directory used in VTrans and other state agency bids.

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

Vermont state directories

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

VTrans DBE Directory

The Vermont Agency of Transportation's registry of certified DBE firms, sortable by type of work (including ACDBE, construction, and supportive services). It is the directory referenced in VTrans bid processes and those of other Vermont agencies.

Open the directory ↗

New England Business Growth Collective (formerly Greater New England MSDC)

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

New England Business Growth Collective (formerly … ↗

Federal set-aside firms in Vermont

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 Vermont 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 Vermont resources

A diverse business in Vermont?

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 →