Frequently Asked Questions — About METRO

The primary criteria for METRO Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certification are company size and Personal Net Worth of the owner(s). The size limits are determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) standards and the maximum Personal Net Worth of each owner(s) is $2.047M.

Personal Net Worth is calculated by subtracting assets (50% if married) less liabilities (50% if married) of every owner with 5% or greater ownership. The following assets are excluded from the calculation:

• Primary residence (all other homes will be included)
• Business getting certified (all other businesses will be included)
• Life insurance (cash value is included)
• Retirement accounts

METRO offers a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Certification for eligible firms. Access the list of SBE certified firms.

METRO also accepts Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certifications from any DBE certifying agency and the 8(a) certification from the Small Business Administration. Learn more about the Texas Unified Certification Program (TUCP) and see the list of DBE certifying agencies in Texas.

METRO Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Certification is free of charge.