BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
The Capital Region Airport Commission, owner and operator of Richmond International Airport (RIC), is committed to encouraging the participation of emerging small businesses and certified small firms in all airport contracts and procurement opportunities. This includes firms certified through the Virginia SWaM program, Federal 49 CFR Parts 26 and 23, and the SBA small business certification programs.
Through proactive outreach and transparent procurement practices, the Commission aims to ensure that qualified small businesses have access to meaningful opportunities to contribute to the airport’s operations and growth.
Important Announcement
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has implemented an Interim Final Rule (IFR), effective October 3, 2025, that immediately changes how Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions DBE (ACDBE) certifications are assessed.
Key Changes:
- All DBE and ACDBE firms are now effectively inactive.
- Race and gender no longer automatically qualify as proof of disadvantage.
- To maintain program participation, all certified owners must submit a Personal Narrative and a current Personal Net Worth statement.
- The Personal Narrative should detail personal barriers faced (e.g., limited access to education, financing, or business opportunities) and the resulting financial impact.
- The definitions of race-conscious and race-neutral measures are removed and replaced with “DBE-conscious” and “DBE-neutral.”
- Existing certified DBE/ACDBE firms will be reevaluated under this new rule upon submission of the required documentation.
- Goal setting and other program elements are suspended until reevaluations are finalized.
- The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (VASBSD) will provide instructions for securely submitting the necessary documents.
Additionally, as the VASBSD and the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) are the Unified Certification Program (UCP) portals for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the IFR provides that these agencies must complete the reevaluation process outlined above and as described in §26.111 of the IFR. Please note that an existing recipient may not: (1) set DBE contract goals or concession-specific ACDBE goals or (2) count any participation toward overall DBE or ACDBE goals until the UCP has completed the reevaluation process.
For more information, please visit DBE Interim Final Rule FAQs.
Upcoming Events
Current Business Opportunities
For business opportunities with the Commission, contact us.
Bid documents are available for download from eVA, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s online electronic procurement system at https://eva.virginia.gov.
How to Register
We encourage all of our current and potential suppliers to register with the eVA, the State of Virginia's online procurement service. Once registered, suppliers can choose to receive e-mail notifications about business opportunities at RIC, which are posted on eVA's self-service portal.
Registered users will automatically receive electronic notifications of opportunities. To view Business Opportunities for the Capital Region Airport Commission only, click on the "Advanced Search" button and select "Capital Region Airport Commission” from the "Agency/Entity" drop-down.
Registration assistance is available from eVA Customer Care at 866-289-7367 or 804-371-2525, or by email at eVACustomerCare@dgs.virginia.gov.
Join the Capital Region Airport Commission's Supplier Network
Business Participation
For many years, the Capital Region Airport Commission has demonstrated its commitment to expanding business participation by creating meaningful opportunities for certified small business concerns to compete for a wide range of airport contracts.
Fair
Maintaining fair and open processes is a routine part of how we do business. Our efforts promote equal business opportunities to qualified companies, thereby increasing the quantity of contracts awarded to Small Business Enterprises each year.
Supportive
We have prioritized our commitment to fostering opportunities for certified suppliers. Throughout the year, we promote a wide array of projects and conduct a competitive bidding process that includes small businesses.
Accessible
Periodically, the Commission hosts a Business Opportunity Forum. By providing public forums to help current and potential suppliers better understand and participate in the bidding process.