Maintaining Your Certification

Certification Period

MBE, WBE, VBE, and BEPD Certification is valid from the effective date of the certification and only as to the Area(s) of Specialty or expertise specified therein. Certifications do not expire, but firms must remain compliant by submitting annual updates known as No Change Affidavits and alerting the DPS Office of Contracting Equity within 10 business days of changes that may impact eligibility.

No Change Affidavit

Certified firms must submit an annual No Change Affidavit. If a firm fails to file an annual No Change Affidavit this may result in the removal of its certification.

Changes

Changes in a certified firm’s ownership, management, officers, or financial relationships, which may impact the firm’s eligibility for certification must be communicated to the City in writing within ten (10) business days of the change(s). Failure to communicate changes will constitute grounds for the denial of continued eligibility or decertification of the firm.

Expansion Requests

Firms desiring to be certified in additional areas of competence may submit an expansion request online by requesting to add or update a commodity code or by incorporating an expansion request in a No Change Affidavit submission. Until certification is awarded, participation in a contract in an uncertified area shall not count toward the fulfillment of contract goals.