At this time there is no certification procedure required for women-owned businesses for Federal procurement.  However, you are encouraged to self-certify your business as a woman-owned small business (WOSB) in SBA's PRO-Net database.   PRO-Net is SBA's online Procurement Marketing & Access Network.  It is FREE and it is used extensively by both federal agencies and large contractors that are seeking small businesses.  Do provide a full profile of your business when you register, and do update your site at least every 18 months to maintain your registration.  You can access the PRO-Net web site at http://www.pro-net.sba.gov/.

There are several federal certification programs, three of which are currently offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and one by the Department of Transportation (DOT), that certify qualified women-owned small businesses (WOSBs).  These programs are discussed below. 

In addition, there are private, national women’s business organizations that certify qualified women-owned businesses.  One of these is the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), which offers a self-certification program for women-owned businesses that helps to validate the credibility of these firms and provide them with new marketing opportunities.  See http://www.wbenc.org.  The WBENC may also be contacted at 202-872-5515. A second private certification organization is the National Women’s Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC).  NWBOC has launched a national certification program for women-owned and controlled businesses as an alternative to the multiple state and local certifications required by many public and private-sector agencies or prime contractors.  Over 100 private and public agencies now accept NWBOC certification.  See http://www.nwboc.org.  The NWBOC may be called at 561-881-7364.  

In addition, please note that regulations are being drafted to inaugurate recently passed legislation which allows contracting officers in certain circumstances to use “restricted competition” to increase contracting opportunities for WOSBs.  When the regulations are included in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), contracting officers may choose to limit contracting opportunities in certain industries to WOSBs.  Information is given below on the upcoming program.

CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY SBA:

There are several federal certification programs that can help participants receive Federal contracts or subcontracts:

The 8(a) Program

The 8(a) Program is the first and best known of SBA’s contracting related certification programs.  This nine-year program provides business development assistance to all its participants.  Some of the participants also receive federal contracts reserved for the 8(a) program through sole source or limited competition awards.  Each year there are millions of dollars in 8(a) contracts awarded to program participants.   Click here to get more information: www.sba.gov/med/.

Applying to the Program:

To apply for the 8(a) program, call your nearest SBA district office, and ask for an application.  You may obtain this address through SBA’s Answer Desk at 800- 827-5722.  Almost all SBA district offices also have regularly scheduled presentations about applying to the 8(a) program.  You can also review 8(a) program requirements and other information at the following web site: www.sba.gov/med.  In addition, information is available at 202-205-6417.

The SDB Program

The SDB Program is a related SBA program, though it is much newer than the 8(a) program.  Being certified in this three-year program is easier than in the 8(a) program.  (Firms certified as 8(a) participants are automatically also certified immediately as SDB firms.) This program is open to many startup businesses because there is no requirement that a firm first establish a “potential for success.”  There is no business development provided by SBA to participants in the SDB program and there are no set-aside contracts. 

However, there are some very real contracting benefits for SDB certified firms.  Most of the benefits go to the SDB firms in about 50 industries in which minority small businesses have been historically underrepresented in Government contracting.  (The Dept. of Commerce conducts reviews of contracting data to determine which industries to include in this list.)  For more information, click on www.sba.gov/sdb. 

Applying to the Program:

To apply or ask questions, you may download an application and the several supporting documents you’ll need to provide from the program web site at www.sba.gov/sdb. 

The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program

The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program is a place-based Federal contracting program.  This relatively new program has been designed to bring contracting dollars into areas of low income or high unemployment.  The term HUBZones is derived from “Historically Underutilized Business Zones”.  Only those businesses that are in one of the many HUBZones around the country and meet the other program criteria, listed below, qualify.  For more information, click here: www.sba.gov/hubzone

To apply, companies are encouraged to use the electronic application directly on the HUBZone website (given above), although applicants can also submit a paper copy to SBA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Applicants can download the paper version from the website or obtain it from any local SBA district office.   (Current HUBZone certified businesses may be located through SBA’s PRO-Net site,http://pro-net.sba.gov.)

Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Assistance Program

Please note that regulations are now being drafted to inaugurate recently passed legislation, Public Law 106-554, Section 811(m), which allows contracting officers in certain circumstances to use “restricted competition” to increase contracting opportunities for WOSBs.  (Whether to use this legislation to meet agency WOSB Procurement goals is left to the discretion of the individual contracting officer.)  

This program will be administered by the new Office of Federal Contract Assistance to Women Business Owners (CAWBO), which is part of SBA’s Office of Government Contracting.  CAWBO’s mission is to increase Federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) and to increase the number of WOSBs that successfully compete in the Federal marketplace.  Additional information about certification programs and general procurement information may be obtained from CAWBO through www.sba.gov/gcbd, by clicking on “search” , entering “CAWBO”, and clicking on "seek".  The information below about the new contracting program will be updated when the program is operational. 

Certification Requirements for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) in the Upcoming Program:

• Women applicants applying to the program must be found to be economically disadvantaged.  The limit for individual net worth upon entering the program is less than $750,000 after subtracting both the equity in the primary residence and the equity in the applicant business;
  

• The woman/women disadvantaged owner(s) must own at least 51% of the business;

• The firm must be managed and controlled by the women owners.  (Unlike the 8(a) program, the business may be operated on a part time basis if the owner controls and manages the business.  This often happens with start-ups.);

• The business must be small as measured by SBA’s size standards;

• The applicant or applicants must be U.S. citizens.

Self Certification:

• WOSBs whose owners meet the above criteria will be able to certify for individual procurements under this legislation, but will not be listed in PRO-Net as certified WOSBs, and will have to re-selfcertify for other procurement opportunities.

Conditions for use of this Program:

• Individual Contracting Officers will be able to use this limited competition to award Federal contracts to WOSBs if the following circumstances exist:
  • There is an expectation that two or more WOSB are qualified to compete for the procurement and will submit offers;

  • The award can be made at a fair and reasonable price;

  • Contracts will be awarded only in industries where WOSB are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented;

  • The WOSB  owners are found to be economically disadvantaged unless award will be made in an industry in which WOSB are substantially underrepresented;

  • Anticipated awards, including options, will be limited to $5M in manufacturing and $3M in all other industries;

  • Each of the competing WOSB is certified by a Federal, State or local certifying entity approved by the SBA’s Administrator, or Self-certifies in accordance with the above criteria to the Contracting Officer that it is a WOSB

• The SBA Administrator has authority to determine those industries in which WOSBs are underrepresented and substantially underrepresented.  To facilitate this determination, a study will be conducted to ascertain in which industries WOSB are underrepresented.

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