Los Angeles County SLBE & DVBE Program

The program summary on this page was last updated on 02/02/2023. If any of the information or links are out-of-date, please contact us.

Under the auspices of its Social Enterprise Preference Program, Los Angeles County operates certification programs for Local Small Business Enterprises (LSBEs) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs). DVBEs and LSBEs are eligible for a 15 percent preference on certain solicitations. The program has several components which aim to increase utilization, including but not limited to designated Small Business Advocates that are available to answer questions, networking events that are open to certified businesses, and Small Business Services that can get businesses ready for contracting.

Does this local/state program offer reciprocal certifications with other local/state programs? To be certified as an LSBE, a business must first be certified as a small business by the State of California’s Department of General Services, or be certified as a small business enterprise with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. To be certified as a DVBE, a business must first be certified either as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or certified as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) by the State of California's Department of General Services. However, the process does not work in reverse (Los Angeles County cannot act first in making such a certification).

Does this certification expire? An expiration date, which depends on factors relevant to the certification process, will be entered into the application during that process. To renew the certification, a business must repeat the original certification process during the eligibility period, which begins 30 days prior to certification expiry (a renewal reminder will be mailed).

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