Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Certification
ACDBE Certification at a Glance
What is it? A free federal certification that lets your firm count toward disadvantaged business goals for concessions at Maryland's airports.
Who's eligible? Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by owners who show, individually, that they are socially and economically disadvantaged.
How long does it take? Several months once we receive your complete application.
Changes to ACDBE certification
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has changed how ACDBE eligibility is decided. A final rule published September 25, 2026 completes changes that began with an interim rule on October 3, 2025. Race and sex no longer create a presumption of disadvantage. Every disadvantaged owner must now show social and economic disadvantage based on their own experiences, in a personal narrative.
DoSEM is accepting new ACDBE applications under the new rules.
All ACDBEs certified by Maryland are being reevaluated, and reevaluations must be complete by December 24, 2026. Until they are complete, federal rules do not allow new ACDBE goals to be set or ACDBE participation to be counted. If your firm is already certified and you have questions about reevaluation, email [email protected] with the subject line "IFR Certification Reevaluation Question."
Program benefits
Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) certification lets your firm count toward disadvantaged business participation goals for airport concessions managed by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA), which owns and operates BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport. Concessions are businesses at the airport that sell goods or services to the traveling public, along with the firms that supply them. The Maryland Department of Social and Economic Mobility (DoSEM) is Maryland's official certifying agency for the ACDBE program.
Important note: ACDBE certification makes your firm eligible to count toward concession goals, but it does not guarantee a concession or contract. You still need to pursue opportunities, submit competitive proposals, and deliver.
Am I eligible?
Your business can be certified as an ACDBE if it meets all of the following requirements.
Am I eligible for ACDBE certification?
One or more owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged must own at least 51% of the business and control its management and daily operations. The ownership must be real and substantial.
Each disadvantaged owner must submit a personal narrative that shows, with individualized proof, specific instances of economic hardship, systemic barriers, and denied opportunities, and how they caused economic harm. Owners must also be economically disadvantaged in fact compared with similarly situated individuals who are not disadvantaged.
An owner whose personal net worth is above $2,047,000 is not presumed economically disadvantaged. The calculation excludes your ownership interest in the business, the equity in your primary residence, and assets in qualified retirement accounts.
Most concessions qualify if average annual gross receipts over the previous five fiscal years, including affiliates, do not exceed $56.42 million. Some businesses use different limits:
Passenger car rental companies: $75.23 million in average annual gross receipts over five years
Banks and financial institutions: $1 billion in assets
Pay telephone companies: 1,500 employees
New car dealers: 350 employees
Only for-profit small businesses can be certified as ACDBEs.
ACDBE FAQs
Every ACDBE certified by Maryland is being reevaluated under the new federal rules. Submit your personal narrative, a current Personal Net Worth Statement, and supporting documents in the Certification Management System. Firms that do not submit them will remain ineligible for the ACDBE program. Reevaluations must be complete by December 24, 2026.
ACDBE certification is for businesses that run or supply airport concessions, and it uses its own size limits. DBE certification covers other contracts funded by USDOT. You can apply for both on the same Uniform Certification Application.
Get help completing your ACDBE application
Attend a free monthly application workshop or book a 30-minute one-on-one review of your application.