Let's be honest about what has happened. The Trump administration, through a series of executive orders and regulatory rewrites, has systematically dismantled the federal infrastructure that existed to give minority, women, veteran, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses a fighting chance in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction sector. This is not hyperbole. This is the record.

On January 20, 2025 — his first day in office — President Trump signed an executive order eliminating DEI programs across the federal government. The next day, a second order directed all federal agencies to terminate affirmative action requirements for federal contractors. The Minority Business Development Agency, created under President Nixon in 1969 and permanently authorized by Congress just four years ago, was ordered fully eliminated, its $68 million annual budget zeroed out. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs — the watchdog that enforced equal opportunity in contracting — was slated for closure.

In October 2025, the Department of Transportation issued an Interim Final Rule stripping the foundational presumption that had defined the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program for four decades. No longer can women or minority-owned businesses be presumed disadvantaged. Instead, every owner must submit a personal narrative — a written account of specific instances of discrimination — and undergo individual reevaluation. All existing DBE certifications were suspended pending review, and federal agencies were directed to set zero-percent DBE participation goals.

We could spend this entire editorial in rage — and honestly, the rage is warranted. These programs existed because the construction industry, left entirely to its own devices, produced demonstrably inequitable outcomes for generations. Disparity studies conducted in virtually every major American city have documented persistent underutilization of MBE, WBE, and DBE firms. The programs weren't charity. They were a correction.

But our readers are business owners. You don't have the luxury of waiting for a more favorable political climate. You need to know where the opportunities still exist, where new ones are emerging, and how to position your firm to capture them.

The Federal Story Is Not Fully Written

Executive orders cannot unilaterally eliminate congressionally authorized programs. The DBE program was created by statute. Courts have been clear that presidents lack the authority to override congressional laws by executive action alone. Multiple organizations — including the National Association of Minority Contractors, Women Construction Owners & Executives, and the Airport Minority Advisory Council — have already intervened in federal litigation to defend the program's constitutionality.

Abandoning your federal DBE certification right now would be a strategic error. Adapt to the new personal narrative requirement and maintain your standing in the New York State Unified Certification Program. Your certification travels across every agency in New York State that recognizes DBE status.

A Timeline of the Rollback

Where the Doors Are Still Open

The federal retreat does not mean opportunity has evaporated. It means opportunity has redistributed. New York State's M/WBE program, governed by Article 15-A of the Executive Law, sets mandatory participation goals on state-funded contracts and is entirely independent of federal DBE regulations. The MTA, the DDC, NYCHA, NYCEDC, the Port Authority — these agencies operate under state law, and their M/WBE and SDVOB programs remain intact. New Jersey similarly maintains its full suite: M/WBE, Veteran-Owned, LGBTQ+ certifications — all with the $100 filing fee waived.

The SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program — a nine-year federal development runway that includes set-aside contracting, mentorship, and business development assistance — has survived the current wave of cuts. If your firm qualifies and you have not pursued 8(a) status, this window should not be ignored.

The Certifications That Still Matter

The most important strategic move any MBE, WBE, VOB, or LGBTQ+-owned AEC firm can make right now is stacking certifications across multiple bodies. The NMSDC — the National Minority Supplier Development Council — operates entirely in the private sector, connecting over 15,000 certified MBEs to more than 1,700 corporate members. The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the gold standard for women-owned business verification with Fortune 500 companies. For veteran-owned firms, the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) fills the private-sector equivalent role.

Strategic Action Matrix

Strategy	Channel	Priority
Maintain NY/NJ state M/WBE certification	MTA, DDC, NYCHA, Port Authority, NJ state contracts	Immediate
File DBE Personal Narrative — adapt, don't abandon	Federal transportation contracts, NYSUCP directory	Immediate
Pursue NMSDC certification via NY/NJ regional council	Corporate supplier diversity programs	Immediate
WBENC certification (for WBE firms)	Fortune 500 supply chains, prime contractor portals	High
Register in prime contractor vendor portals	Turner, Skanska, AECOM, WSP, Jacobs subcontracting	High
SBA 8(a) program (if eligible)	Federal set-asides, 9-year development runway	High
NYS SDVOB certification (veteran-owned firms)	Mandatory state contract goals — NYS OGS certified	High
SBA HUBZone certification (if zone-eligible)	Federal contracts, competitive advantage in designated areas	Medium

Our Position

Tomar Media was founded to serve this community. The rollback of the DBE program, the elimination of the MBDA, and the broader assault on federal equity infrastructure represent a genuine setback. We will not pretend otherwise. These programs had a purpose. Their absence will be felt — particularly by smaller firms that relied on federal set-asides as a bridge to build capacity and credit.

But this community has always been forced to outperform the playing field just to stay in the game. That is not a compliment. It is an indictment of the systems that required it. And it is also a fact about the resilience, the craft, and the competitive strength of the firms we cover.

The strategy has changed. The mission has not. Adapt, stack, and build. The work continues.