Disclaimer

Disclaimer and Guidance Concerning Use of This Directory

October 2009

This Directory is intended to serve as the sole resource and listing of DBE firms certified and recognized by the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (PA UCP) in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 26.81(g) in 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 23 and 26. Consistent with the mandate of Section 26.31 of Part 26, this Directory provides the following information: the name of certified DBE firms that have been certified by the PA UCP and firms from other states that have been certified by the PA UCP; the firm’s address; the firm’s telephone number, and the types of work that the firm is certified to perform as a DBE.

All DBE firms listed in this Directory have been granted DBE certification under the eligibility standards and guidelines set forth in Parts 23 and 26. This Directory is intended to be used as a certification guide only and is not designed to serve as a resource for determining whether a firm is competent or eligible to compete or perform any job or eligible to meet other standards imposed by an agency on all contractors including subcontractors, separate and apart from the federal DBE program.

Since the status of a firm and the type(s) of work that a firm is qualified to perform can change as the result of a variety of circumstances including, but not limited to, recertification; removal of eligibility; augmentation of the firm’s work categories initiated by the firm under Section 26.71(n) of Part 26 and validated by any of the PA UCP certifying entities without the need for a new application for certification or recertification; and notices of change, all users are encouraged to confirm the status of a firm by contacting the PA UCP.

Users of the PA UCP DBE Directory are advised that any classification of a DBE firm as a broker, manufacturer, or a regular dealer is for informational purposes only and is based upon historical data. These firms are officially designated as suppliers. Any determination whether the firm is a broker, manufacturer, or regular dealer is done at the time that the recipient issuing the contract attempts to count the value of the work actually performed by the DBE toward the DBE contract goal consistent with Section 26.55 of 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26. To verify such counting matters, users should contact the appropriate recipient.

Users are also cautioned to ascertain whether the DBE firm solicited is performing a commercially useful function within the meaning of Section 26.73(a)(1) of Part 26.

In addition, users are advised that firms listed in the Directory may be subject to separate bidding and/or contracting requirements separate and apart from Part 26, such as prequalification, bulletin listings, licensure, registered business partner filings, etc. These requirements may be imposed on DBEs so long as they are imposed on all contractors consistent with Section 26.73(g) of Part 26. Again, contacting individual agencies will enable users to ascertain whether these additional requirements have been fulfilled.

All firms in this Directory are Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) or Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBEs).

As defined in 49 CFR Part 26, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise or DBE means a for-profit small business concern --

(1) That is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals; and

(2) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it. Socially and economically disadvantaged individual means any individual who is a citizen (or lawfully admitted permanent resident) of the United States and who is –

Socially and economically disadvantaged individual means any individual who is a citizen (or lawfully admitted permanent resident) of the United States and who is –

(1) Any individual who a recipient finds to be a socially and economically disadvantaged individual on a case-by-case basis.

(2) Any individual in the following groups, members of which are rebuttably presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged:

(i) "Black Americans," which includes persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa;

(ii) "Hispanic Americans," which includes persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race;

(iii) "Native Americans," which includes persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, or Native Hawaiians;

(iv) "Asian-Pacific Americans," which includes persons whose origins are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Burma (Myanmar), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (Kampuchea), Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands (Republic of Palau), the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Macao, Fiji, Tonga, Kirbati, Juvalu, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, or Hong Kong;

(v) "Subcontinent Asian Americans," which includes persons whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands, Nepal, or Sri Lanka;

(vi) Women;

(vii) Any additional groups whose members are designated as socially and economically disadvantaged by the SBA, at such time as the SBA designation becomes effective.

As defined in 49 CFR Part 23, an Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) means a concession that is a for-profit small business concern —

(1) That is at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or, in the case of a corporation, in which 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals; and

(2) Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it.

Firms in this Directory may also be designated as: MBE (Minority Business Enterprise), WBE (Woman Business Enterprise), or MBE/WBE (Minority Business Enterprise/Woman Business Enterprise. Any acronyms or classifications other than DBE are included in the Directory solely for informational, recordkeeping, or administrative purposes of the Commonwealth's US DOT recipients separate and apart from the DBE certification component. Consistent with Sections 26.31 and 26.81 of the federal DBE regulation set forth in 49 CFR Part 26, the sole means of identifying firms qualified to operate under the DBE program is the "Disadvantaged Business Enterprise" or "DBE" as defined in Section 26.5 of Part 26. All other acronyms or classifications other than "DBE" are to be disregarded for purposes of eligibility determinations and participation in the federally-assisted highway, transit, and aviation contracts covered by the DBE program.