Mending, but not Ending: The DBE Program

As required by the Supreme Court’s Adarand decision, and as urged by Congress, the final regulation provides a narrowly tailored DBE program, which serves a compelling governmental interest (annotated):

• Quotas are prohibited.

• Recipients must use race-neutral methods (like outreach and technical assistance) to meet as much as   possible of their overall goals.

• Firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged white males must be allowed to participate as DBEs.

• Business owners with a personal net worth of more than $750,000 (excluding the value of the primary residence and the ownership interest in the business) may not participate in the program.