Certifications Explained

The SBA Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. In turn, small businesses are able to contribute to and hire from their communities, boosting local economies.

The SBA 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses. The 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

• SBA 8(a) Entrance Date: 03/13/2012
• SBA 8(a) Exit Date: 03/13/2021

The WOSB Program is a program that authorizes federal contracting officers to restrict competition (or set aside) certain requirements for competition solely amongst women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) or economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs).

A WOSB firm must be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final rule.

SBE – The State of New Jersey small business set-aside program was established with the goal of awarding 25 percent of state contracting and purchase order dollars to small businesses. By registering your small business with the State Small Business Set Aside Program, through the Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services, your company becomes a member of a limited group of vendors eligible to participate in these selected contract offerings

WBE – A majority woman-owned business where:
The contribution of capital and/or expertise by the woman business owner is real and substantial and in proportion to the interest owned.

The woman business owner must direct or cause the direction of management, policy, fiscal, and operational matters.

The woman business owner shall have the ability to perform in the area of specialty or expertise without reliance on either the finances or resources of a firm that is not owned by a woman.

MBE – A minority business enterprise is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated and controlled by minority group members. “Minority group members” are United States citizens who are Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American.

Ownership by minority individuals means the business is at least 51% owned by such individuals or, in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, the management and daily operations are controlled by those minority group members.

Minority businesses must be at least 51% minority-owned operated and controlled. For the purposes of NMSDC’s program, a minority group member is an individual who is at least 25% Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American. Minority eligibility is established via a combination of screenings, interviews and site visits. Ownership, in the case of a publicly-owned business, means that at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more minority group members.

Must be a profit enterprise and physically located in the U. S. or its trust territories.

Management and daily operations must be exercised by the minority ownership member(s).

MBE –  Under Article 15-A of the Executive Law, an MBE is a business enterprise in which at least fifty-one percent (51%) is owned, operated and controlled by citizens or permanent resident aliens who are meeting the ethnic definitions listed below:

• Black: Persons having origins from any of the Black African racial groups.
•  Hispanic: Persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Central or South American descent of either Native American or Latin American origin, regardless of race.
• Asian-Pacific: Persons having origins from the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Pacific Islands.
• Asian-Indian Subcontinent: Persons having origins from the Indian subcontinent.
• Native American or Alaskan Native: Persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America.

WBE – Under Article 15-A of the Executive Law, a WBE is a business enterprise in which at least fifty-one percent (51%) is owned, operated and controlled by citizens or permanent resident aliens who are women.

M/WBE – The Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Certification Program seeks to promote fairness and equity in City procurement processes by providing services designed to increase certified M/WBEs’ capacity and effectively contribute to the City’s economy. Certified NYC M/WBEs are:

• A Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation.
• Authorized to do business in New York State.
• At least 51% owned, controlled and operated by US citizen(s) or permanent resident(s) who is/are member(s) of a designated minority group(s) including Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific, and Asian-Indian OR a woman or women.
• NYC M/WBE certified business have a real and substantial presence in the geographic market of New York City, which includes the five boroughs of New York City and the following counties: Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester in New York, and Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic in New Jersey.
• NYC M/WBE certified businesses located outside of New York City have a significant tie to the City’s business community (e.g., have derived 25% or more of gross receipts from business conducted in the City, possess a license issued by the City, etc.).

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey works with hundreds of minority, women-owned, small, and disadvantaged businesses each year procuring goods and services, construction, architectural and engineering work. The NYSUCP began to operate November 30, 2005. There are four agencies in New York State that administer a DBE certification program. To qualify as a DBE, the business must be owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged persons as defined by DBE Regulation 49 CFR Parts 23 and 26.

The business must be 51% owned by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s). The Department presumes certain groups are disadvantaged, including women, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian-Pacific Americans, or other minorities found to be disadvantaged by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Persons who are not members of one of the above groups and own and control their business may also be eligible if they establish their “social” and “economic” disadvantage. The Department notes, for example, that people with disabilities have disproportionately low incomes and high rates of unemployment, and that many may be socially and economically disadvantaged. A determination of whether an individual with a disability meets DBE eligibility criteria is made on a case-by-case basis. More information on how social and economic disadvantage is determined can be found in  Appendix E  to  49 C.F.R. Part 26.

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) regulation that took effect March 4, 1999 (Title 49 Part 26.81 of the Code of Federal Regulations) requires that each state have a “one-stop shopping” certification process. This means that a firm would apply to only one agency for DBE certification, and that agency’s decision would be honored by all other DBE certifying agencies (see below) and all entities within the state that receive funds from the United States Department of Transportation (for example, Metropolitan Planning Organizations and most airports).

WBENC provides and manages the development, enforcement and implementation of its world-class of certification, which is nationally accepted by thousands of major corporations and a select group of government entities. WBENC certification is a rigorous, multi-faceted business application and review process that is conducted by a trained Certification Review Committee to ensure that women -owned businesses applying for certification are 51 percent owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or group of women. This stipulation is a requirement on which WBENC was founded as a key service to Corporate Members interested in doing business with women-owned businesses.

BBB letter grades represent the BBB’s opinion of the business. The BBB grade is based on BBB file information about the business. In some cases, a business’ grade may be lowered if the BBB does not have sufficient information about the business despite BBB requests for that information from the business.

BBB assigns letter grades from A+ (highest) to F (lowest). In some cases, BBB will not grade the business (indicated by an NR, or “No Rating”) for reasons that include insufficient information about a business or ongoing review/update of the business’ file. BBB Business Reviews generally explain the most significant factors that raised or lowered a business’ grade. BBB grades are not a guarantee of a business’ reliability or performance, and BBB recommends that consumers consider a business’ grade in addition to all other available information about the business.