SEPTA is committed in our efforts to expand contracting opportunities for small, minority and women-owned businesses. Our DBE Program Office provides technical assistance, training, and other resources for vendors looking to do business with us.

In accordance with the DBE regulations codified at 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26, SEPTA developed its triennial DBE participation methodology and goal, which have been approved by the Federal Transit Administration. The DBE goal established for Federal Fiscal Years 2018 through 2020 is 15%.

DBE Policy Statement

DBE Program Office
1234 Market Street, 11th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 580-7278
dbeprogram@septa.org

Small, Minority and Women-owned Businesses can now apply online for DBE certification. Simply visit the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program's (PA UCP) website for information about the DBE Program and to request an authorized user account.

Businesses wishing to apply for DBE certification via the paper process, must submit the following two documents together, fully completed and notarized, along with all required supporting documentation identified on page 14 of the DBE application.

• DBE/ACDBE Uniform Certification Application

• DBE/ACDBE Personal Net Worth Statement

Businesses located outside of Pennsylvania must first obtain DBE certification in their home state before applying for DBE certification in the PA UCP. Once home-state DBE certified, submit the following document, fully completed and notarized, along with all required documentation identified in items 1 through 4 on the first page.

PA UCP DBE/ACDBE Interstate Certification Affidavit

Additional documents for currently certified DBE firms:

PA UCP DBE/ACDBE Annual Affidavit
PA UCP DBE/ACDBE NAICS Code Modification Request

Notice from Prime Contractor seeking DBE participants

Please check this page regularly for new notices.

Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program

In accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regulations 26.39: Fostering Small Business Participation, SEPTA has amended its DBE Program Plan to include a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) element. Firms wishing to participate as a small business in SEPTA's contracting activities must be at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by economically disadvantaged individual(s) (i.e., personal net worth must not exceed $1.32M and average annual gross receipts for three years must not exceed $23.98M).

Interested firms must complete an SBE Verification Application and submit it with the required supporting documentation.

For more information on the SBE Program, please contact the DBE Program Office at 215-580-7278.

Attention Currently Certified DBEs: Your DBE status automatically qualifies you for participation in the SBE Program. DO NOT complete an SBE application.

SBE Verification Application | PDF

SBE Outreach Presentation | June 26, 2012 | PDF

SBE Outreach Presentation | MEDWeek 2012 | October 2, 2012 | PDF

Upcoming Events

Please check this page regularly for new events and information.

Previous Events

Doing Business with SEPTA 'Meet the Primes Networking Event' (April 2017)

PDF: U.S. Small Business Administration - "Access to Capital & Federal Contracting" (September 2016)

Rebuilding the System:

• Networking Session | PDF
• Rebuilding for the Future Outreach Presentation | PDF

Additional Resources

DBE Program Office Newsletter

BizNet
Prime contractors are able to search for subcontractors to include on responses to bid invitations. Firms may also view their current contact information and business description as it is reflected in SEPTA's vendor database.

BizWeb
Prime contractors are able to submit subcontractor payment and workforce hours data electronically as it pertains to their projects. Users are required to enter a login identification and password. To request a login and password, click on the link provided on BizWeb.

Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program
SEPTA is a certifying participant in the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (PA UCP). The UCP was established in response to a federal requirement to provide "one-stop-shopping" for businesses seeking certification by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). Businesses now complete one application to begin the DBE qualification process, recognized by all Pennsylvania agencies which receive U.S. DOT funding in excess of $250,000. Contractors looking for certified DBEs can access and search the PA UCP database, which sorts by type of business, county, or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.

Documents provided in PDF format.