Small business certifications are like professional certifications: they document a special capability or status that help you compete in the marketplace. These certifications can help you pursue business opportunities with the federal government and prime contractors who often have goals to ensure small businesses are integrated into their purchasing and procurement efforts. At our Federal Contracting Certifications workshop, we’ll give an overview and demonstrate how to apply for the following certifications:

8(a) Business Development (BD) Program

The SBA’s 8(a) Business Development program, named for a section of the Small Business Act, is a business development program created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and access the federal procurement market.

Applicant firms must be:

a small business in operation for at least two years

unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are of good character and citizens of the United States; and

demonstrate a potential for success

Participants in the 8(a) BD program can receive sole source contracts up to $4 million for goods and services and $7 million for manufacturing. 8(a) firms are also able to form joint ventures and teams to bid on larger prime contracts.

HUBZone & WOSB Procurement Programs

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal contracting opportunities. The benefits for certified companies include competitive and sole source contracting and a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open competitions and subcontracting opportunities.

The Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) programs allow federal contracting officials to set aside and sole source certain contracts to eligible woman-owned and economically disadvantaged woman-owned businesses.

Now, there are TWO ways to participate in this training; you can attend the workshop at our Santa Ana District Office on December 15th or you can log in to our Webinar on December 22nd. Please see below for details.

Agenda/Date/Location for the December 15th Workshop

Registration: 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. (PST)

8(a) BD Program Certification Workshop: 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (PST)

HUBZone & WOSB Certifications Workshop: 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (PST)

Thursday, December 15th, 2016 at the Santa Ana District Office Training Room, located at 5 Hutton Centre Dr. #900, Santa Ana, CA 92707

Agenda/Date/Location for the December 22nd Webinar

8(a) BD Program Certification Workshop: 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (PST)

HUBZone & WOSB Certifications Workshop: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (PST)

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016…log in information will be sent after successful registration