Dbe final rule sprint · HTML Copy DBE Final Rule Sprint — B2G Coach

URGENT Every currently certified DBE in America must be reevaluated. The clock is running. Re-certification is not guaranteed.

DBE Final Rule Sprint · Limited Enrollment

Your DBE Certification
Just Changed.
Do You Know What to Do?

The federal government eliminated race and sex-based presumptions in the DBE program. Every currently certified DBE must be reevaluated. Most firms don't know what that really means — or how to protect themselves.

The coach who built and ran these programs is ready to help.

Secure Your Certification → What Changed?
$475M+
Contract opportunities unlocked
for certified firms
13→57%
Supplier participation growth
under Ferdinand's leadership
50K
Certified DBEs affected
by the new rule
What Changed

The Government Just Reset the Rules.
Most DBEs Haven't Faced It Yet.

In October 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an Interim Final Rule that took effect immediately. Race and sex-based presumptions of disadvantage were eliminated from the DBE program. Every DBE that was certified based on the social and/or ceonomic disadvantage presumptions must now be individually reevaluated — and recertify under a stricter, individualized standard. Until reevaluation is complete, federally-funded agencies cannot set DBE contract goals or count DBE participation toward existing goals. That affects your pipeline, your primes, and your revenue — right now.

~50,000
Currently certified DBEs who must be reevaluated under the new rule
Immediate
The IFR took effect the day it was published — no grace period
Case-by-Case
Every owner must now prove individual social and economic disadvantage — no automatic presumption
Is This Program For You?

This Sprint Is Built for One Type of Business.

✓ This Is For You

You are DBE-certified and received notice — or expect to receive notice — about reevaluation under the new rule.

✓ This Is For You

You don't know what the new individual disadvantage standard requires and you can't afford to lose your certification.

✓ This Is For You

You want to understand how the 2024 and 2025 rule changes actually affect your ability to compete for contracts — and how to use the changes to your advantage.

✓ This Is For You

You want to work directly with the coach who ran DBE compliance programs and knows exactly what certifiers are looking for on the other side.

✗ Not For You

You are not yet DBE-certified — this program is exclusively for existing certified firms navigating the new requirements.

✗ Not For You

You are looking for legal counsel — this is a coaching and strategy program, not legal advice. Consult your attorney for legal guidance.

Why Ferdinand Risco

He Didn't Study These Programs.
He Built and Ran Them.

"For more than two decades, I sat on the government side of the table — overseeing DBE, EEO, and Title VI compliance for agencies with thousands of employees and billions in economic impact. I determined which businesses got certified, which ones stayed certified, and which ones lost access. I know what certifiers look for because I was one of them."

— Ferdinand L. Risco Jr., MBA · Former Chief Compliance Officer · Agency CEO
$475M+
Contract opportunities unlocked for small businesses
13→57%
Supplier participation growth driven directly
30+
Years across military, government, and private sector
U.S. Army
Veteran · Enlisted + Commissioned Officer · DMG

Ferdinand is not teaching you to navigate these programs from the outside. He spent decades inside them — running the compliance systems, training the certifiers, and making the decisions that DBE-certified firms now need to understand to survive this transition. There is no other coach in the country with this specific credential.

The Program

4 to 6 Sessions. Built Around
Your Certification Survival.

The DBE Final Rule Sprint is not a generic GovCon coaching program. Every session is built around one objective: protecting your DBE certification, understanding your new obligations, and positioning your firm to compete aggressively under the new rules.

Session 1
The New Landscape — What the Rule Actually Changed Foundation
A clear, plain-language breakdown of the October 2025 IFR and the April 2024 Final Rule. What changed, what didn't, and what it means specifically for your firm. No legal jargon — operational clarity from someone who ran these programs.
Session 2
The Reevaluation Process — What Certifiers Are Looking For
The new individualized disadvantage standard requires you to build a case. Ferdinand walks you through exactly what that case looks like — the narrative, the documentation, the personal net worth statement, and the evidence certifiers are trained to evaluate.
Session 3
Control and Independence — Proving You Run the Show
The new rule tightened control requirements significantly. The disadvantaged owner must be the ultimate decision-maker, control the board, and demonstrate present, active management. Ferdinand shows you how to document and demonstrate this — and what raises flags on the other side of the table.
Session 4
The Competitive Advantage Play — Using the New Rules to Win
The IFR also created new opportunities — updated PNW thresholds, modernized counting rules for material suppliers, new directory requirements, and reciprocal interstate certification. Ferdinand shows you how to turn the disruption into a competitive advantage before your competitors figure it out.
Sessions 5–6
Sprint Implementation — Your Reevaluation Action Plan Action
Ferdinand works directly with you to build your reevaluation response strategy, review your capabilities statement under the new standards, identify your strongest agency and prime contractor targets, and ensure your firm is positioned to compete — certified and confident — from the first day of the new landscape.
By the End of the Sprint

What You Will Walk Away With

→
A clear understanding of your reevaluation obligations and a documented timeline for completing them
→
A personal disadvantage narrative structured to meet the new individualized standard — written in the language certifiers are trained to evaluate
→
A control and independence documentation framework that demonstrates you run your firm — and withstands scrutiny
→
A competitive strategy that turns the new rules into an advantage before your competitors even read the IFR
→
An updated capabilities statement positioned for the post-IFR contracting environment
→
A certified, positioned firm — not a firm waiting anxiously to find out if it still qualifies
Your Investment

One Decision. Your Certification Protected.

Limited Enrollment — DBE Firms Only
DBE Final Rule Sprint
4 to 6 live Zoom sessions with Ferdinand Risco — the coach who ran the compliance programs you are now navigating.
$997
One-time · No hidden fees · All sessions included
  • 4–6 live Zoom sessions with Ferdinand Risco directly
  • New rule breakdown — plain language, zero jargon
  • Personal disadvantage narrative framework
  • Control and independence documentation guide
  • Competitive strategy for the post-IFR landscape
  • Capabilities statement review and update
  • Email support between sessions
Enroll in the DBE Final Rule Sprint →

Not sure if this is right for you? Book a free discovery call first.

Common Questions

What You Need to Know

My certification hasn't been formally reviewed yet. Should I wait? +
No. The IFR took effect immediately upon publication. Reevaluation is coming regardless of whether you've received formal notice. Firms that prepare before the reevaluation request arrives are in a fundamentally stronger position than those who scramble after. The Sprint is designed to get you ready — not reactive.
Is this legal advice? +
No. The DBE Final Rule Sprint is a coaching and strategy program. Ferdinand is not an attorney and this program does not constitute legal advice. For legal questions specific to your situation, you should consult a licensed attorney. What Ferdinand provides is operational intelligence — from someone who ran these programs from the inside — that complements your legal counsel, it does not replace it.
I hold MBE and WBE certifications in addition to DBE. Does this program cover those? +
The Sprint focuses specifically on the federal DBE program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. State and local MBE/WBE programs have their own structures and are not subject to the IFR directly. However, many of the positioning and documentation strategies covered in the Sprint apply broadly across certification types — and Ferdinand will address how the federal changes may create ripple effects at the state and local level.
Why 4 to 6 sessions instead of a fixed number? +
Every firm's situation is different. A business that has been certified for two years with straightforward documentation has different needs than a firm with complex ownership structures or interstate certification questions. The Sprint is built to cover the full scope in 4 sessions for most firms — with the flexibility to extend to 6 for firms that need deeper work on documentation or positioning strategy. Ferdinand assesses your situation in session one and sets the right pace from there.
Will this guarantee my certification is maintained? +
No program can guarantee a government certification outcome — and anyone who claims otherwise is not being honest with you. What the Sprint does is give you the strongest possible preparation: the right documentation, the right narrative, the right positioning, and the strategic intelligence of a coach who sat on the certifying side of this process for decades. Results depend on your specific situation, your documentation, and the certifying agency's review. Ferdinand will tell you clearly what he sees — and what gives you the best chance.

Your Certification Is Worth
More Than Waiting.

The firms that survive this transition will be the ones that moved early — who understood the new standard before the reevaluation notice arrived, who built their narrative before they needed it, and who had a coach who has been on the other side of this table. That preparation starts here.

Enroll in the DBE Final Rule Sprint →