Commonwealth Ports Authority

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Incentives :

A Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) is a small business concern that is at least 51% owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged or in the case of a corporation, in which 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals; and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more socially economically disadvantaged individuals who own it.

Application Documents:

Application Form
Personal Financial Statement

Application FAQs:

What are the Basic Requirements?

• Ownership & Control - A Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) means a small business concern that is at 51% owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents. These individuals include minorities, disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
• Economic Disadvantage - An economically disadvantaged individual's net worth must not exceed $750,000 and excludes an individual's ownership interest in the applicant firm and the individual's equity in his or her primary residence.

What is required?

• Complete the DBE Application Certification & Personal Financial Statement.
• On-site visit will be performed by the Commonwealth Ports Authority staff, except in cases where the CPA has determined that prior on-site visits by other authorities to be acceptable
• Documentation is required for certification and it must be attached to each application. The processing cannot be completed until all these documents are submitted. Additional document may be required.

How will you know if you are certified?

Upon completion of the review, you will receive a letter of certification or a denial letter explaining the reasons and the appeals procedure

If you are certified, the certification is valid for a maximum of three years

Your certification must be updated annually through the submittal of a notarized affidavit and submittal of your firm's federal income tax returns.

Complete the affidavit form and have it notarized. All items not applicable should be indicated as "N/A". The completed application forms and required documentation should be mailed to:

Commonwealth Ports Authority
PO Box 501055
Saipan, MP 96950

The information requested is necessary to determine whether your firm qualifies as a DBE according to the guidelines as established by the 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)26. If you need any assistance with your application, you may contact Mr. John Sablan Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (670) 664-3500.

Definition of Terms:

Personal Net Worth – means that net assets of an individual after total liabilities are deducted.  A person’s net worth does not include the individual’s equity in their primary residence and the ownership interest in the applicant firms.

Primary Industry Classification – means the four digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code designation, which best describes the primary business of the firm.

Small Business Concern – means a small business as defined pursuant to section 3 of the Small Business Act and the Small Business Administration regulations implemented in 13 CFR part 121 that also does not exceed the cap on average annual gross receipts specified in §26.65

1. For general engineering contractors – if it, including its affiliates under common ownership or control, is independently owned and operated; and if its average annual receipts for its preceding three (3) fiscal years do not exceed $16.6 million.
2. For specialty contractors – if it, including its affiliates under common ownership or control, is independently owned and operated; and if its average annual receipts for its preceding three (3) fiscal years do not exceed $7.5 million.
3. For engineering, architectural and surveying firms – if it, including its affiliates under common ownership or control, is independently owned and operated; and if its average annual receipts for its preceding three (3) fiscal years do not exceed $4 million.

Socially & Economically Disadvantaged Individuals - means any individual who is a citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States whom is:

1. Any individual who the Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) finds to be socially and economically disadvantaged.
2. Any individual in the following groups, members which are rebuttably presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged:
   
   
1. “Black American,” includes persons having origins in a Black racial groups in Africa;
2. “Hispanic Americans,” which includes persons having of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin regardless of race;
3. “Native Americans,” which includes persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, or Native Hawaiians;
4. “Asian-Pacific American,” which includes person whose origin 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 Island, (Republic of Tonga, Kiribati, Juvalu, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia or Hong Kong ;
5. “Subcontinent Asian American,” which includes person whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands, Nepal or Sri Lanka;
6. Women;
7. Any other group whose members are designated as socially and economically disadvantages by the SBA, at such time as the SBA designation becomes effective.