Commitment to Supplier Diversity

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Airports Authority) is committed at all levels to building and maintaining a community of diverse suppliers to promote regional economic development and enhance the passenger experience. It is the policy of the Airports Authority to seek significant participation in its contracts by local small businesses and small businesses owned by minorities and women.

The Airports Authority has two supplier diversity programs for achieving this policy objective. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) is used for contracts with federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal Highway Association. The DBE program also includes the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (ACDBE) for concessions contracts. The Airports Authority’s Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) is used for non-concessions contracts that are funded solely by the Airports Authority.

Note:  In accordance with Board Resolution 22-34, effective January 1, 2023, the Local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (LDBE) program was renamed the Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) program. This is a change in name only. Eligibility requirements, contractual participation requirements, and all other aspects of the program will remain the same. All firms actively certified as LDBEs became SLBEs on January 1, 2023, with no action required by the small local businesses. CLICK HERE for additional details.

The Airports Authority’s Department of Supplier Diversity (DSD) within the Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM) is responsible for DBE, ACDBE and SLBE program administration. DSD staff may be reached at 703-417-8660 or [email protected]. 

Supplier Diversity Impact & Recognition

The Airports Authority is proud of its supplier diversity impact and the recognition it has received from federal agencies, minority and small business advocacy organizations, and elected officials. In 2020, the Airports Authority received the prestigious FAA Civil Rights Advocate and Partner Award for the management and administration of its DBE and ACDBE programs. To learn more about the Airports Authority’s supplier diversity impact and recognition, visit the most recent Corporate Social Responsibility Report here.