Ownership.
Verified.
Federal and corporate certifications open contracting opportunities for small businesses in historically underinvested communities. Track your applications, store your notes, and move from considering to certified — the step that turns eligibility into sustainable economic growth.
Certification catalog
8(a) Business Development
Small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Opens set-aside and sole-source federal contracts, pairs you with a Business Opportunity Specialist, and qualifies you for the Mentor-Protégé Program.
HUBZone
Small businesses located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone that employs HUBZone residents.
Federal agencies have a 3% HUBZone contracting goal. HUBZone firms compete for set-aside contracts and receive a 10% price evaluation preference in full competitions.
WOSB / EDWOSB
Women-Owned Small Businesses (and Economically Disadvantaged WOSB).
Federal agencies have a 5% WOSB contracting goal. Qualifying firms compete for set-aside contracts in industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented.
MBE (Minority Business Enterprise)
Minority-owned businesses seeking corporate supplier diversity contracts.
MBE certification (via NMSDC and state/regional partners) unlocks corporate procurement spend — Fortune 500 supplier diversity programs, utilities, and state contracts.
SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)
Small businesses meeting the 8(a) social and economic disadvantage standard.
SDB status is self-certified in SAM.gov. Federal agencies have a 5% SDB goal and SDB status counts toward agency small-business scorecards.
Certifications are doors. DowUrk is the ladder.
Federal and corporate procurement sets aside billions of dollars each year for small businesses in historically underinvested communities. Ownership and self-sufficiency start with getting recognized as the kind of business you already are.