The Small Business Administration lists certificates available for qualified small businesses. These certificates provide small and micro enterprises access to government contracting opportunities set aside especially for fulfillment by a company which qualifies under one or more of these certifications:
- Small business
- Historically Underutilized Business Zone
- Woman-owned
- Veteran & service-disabled veteran-owned
- 8(a) business development
- Alaskan-owned
- Native American-owned
Is Small Business Certification Even Necessary?
So for businesses that Meet the eligibility requirements for the aforementioned small business certificates, is it really all that important that they try to become certified through the SBA? The answer to this question depends upon the demands and aims of the business itself. A business should choose to acquire certifications depending on the company growth strategies defined by the firm. During the planning stages of the company, the principals would have compiled a profile of the corporation’s potential client and identified the geographic range of the company itself. Those are the types of details that will determine the sort of certifications and contracts that the firm will seek.
When to Apply for Small Business Certification
For young businesses, It is recommended they are working for at least two years prior to applying for ccba certification. However, the amount of time a company has been open is much less important than the skills, experience and past performance of the principals and management team . It is possible to acquire the two-year requirement waived if the company owners or managers are accomplished business professionals. Consider, however, the ability of your staff to satisfy the demands of a government contract, especially if your organization is actively expanding and readjusting operations to accommodate new growth.
Streamlining The Certification Procedure
For many of the Businesses on the brink of transitioning into the government contracting arena, The documentation and application process related to minority Certificates is intensive and may be intimidating. Getting through the process confidently requires preparation. Preparation and organization are keys To successfully completing the minority certification process, in part because There’s so much documentation required. It is a good idea to have Corporate documents in 1 area and designate a single individual in the workplace to be the certification coordinator. This person assumes responsibility for compiling any needed data. Having one individual own all certification-related tasks will Help streamline the documentation procedure. Otherwise, you and your staff risk Wasting time with repeat attempts. Once needed files are compiled, you Can then begin to prepare the submission.