Our Certifications
FEDERAL CERTIFICATIONS
Minority Business Enterprise | MBE
Minority Business Enterprise Certification with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), a private third-party that certifies minority-owned businesses on behalf of U.S. corporations. Minority businesses must be at least 51% minority-owned, managed, and controlled. For the purposes of NMSDC’s program, a minority group member is an individual who is at least 25% Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic, or Native American. Minority eligibility is established via a combination of document reviews, screenings, interviews, and site visits. The JPI Group is certified through the EMSDC, a regional affiliate of the NMSDC. Certification by the EMSDC is a nationally recognized NMSDC certification and is honoured nationwide.
Woman-Owned Business
Federally registered Women-Owned Business. The federal government aims to award a minimum of 5% of all contracting dollars to women-owned businesses each year, with certain contracts being set aside for woman-owned businesses that are economically disadvantaged
https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/entitySearch/entitySearchEntityRecord.jsf
Women Owned Small Business| WOSB
The Woman Owned Small Business Certification (WOSB) is designed to authorize government contracting officers to set aside specific contracts for competition solely amongst WOSBs or Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSBs). The main difference between these types of businesses is that EDWOSBs are owned by Economically Disadvantaged women. The Federal Government must award 5% (roughly $25 billion) of its Prime and Subcontracting dollars to WOSBs and EDWOSBs.
Small Disadvantaged Business | SDB
The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a “small business” in terms of the number of employees over the past year or average annual receipts over the past three years. Size standards vary by industry. Many government agencies require that some percentage of the procurements be set aside for small businesses. The Federal Government has mandated that 23% of all Federal Contracts must be awarded to a Certified Small Business (Small Business Certification). Federal Contracts under $150,000 are Set-Aside for Certified Small Businesses. State level governments and large distributors/retailers follow similar rules in some categories (each state differs).
Benefits of a Small Business Certification:
•The ability to bid on small business set-aside solicitations.
•23% of all federal contracts are mandated to be awarded to small businesses.
•It puts you in the running for “no-bid” contracts valued under $25,000.
https://www.unitedstatesbusinessregistration.us/small-business-certification-sbc/
STATE & CITY CERTIFICATIONS
AL | Alabama Unified Certification Program | DBE
Alabama has a program that sets annual quotas to dictate the amount of overall Department of Transportation funds and other State agency funds that are allocated toward DBE certified (and thus, minority-run) businesses. The current requirements of the Alabama Department of Transportation are for 12 percent of all Federal Highway Agency contracts to be allocated to DBE
certified businesses and 7 percent of Federal Transportation Agency contracts. These percentages differ for other state and regional procurement programs. Collectively, these programs provide opportunities for ‘disadvantaged’ owners to excel their small businesses with government contracts
AZ | Arizona Department of Transportation | DBE
Firms that meet the requirements found in title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 26 can be certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) to work on transportation projects in the state of Arizona.
CA | California Public Utilities Supplier Clearinghouse | MBE
Our program monitors supplier diversity in procurement by utilities and covered entities, as well as oversees a clearinghouse of women; minority; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT); disabled veteran; and persons with disabilities business enterprises.
CA | California Department of Transportation | DBE
The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) requires that a Unified Certification Program (UCP), governed by 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 26, be put into practice by each state. The purpose of the UCP is to provide “one-stop shopping” of certification services to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) processes DBE applications statewide. There are other certifying agencies that certify geographically based on their region.
CO | Colorado Department of Transportation | DBE
Firms that meet the requirements found in title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 26 can be certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) to work on transportation projects in the state of Colorado for The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the City and County of Denver (CCD).
DE | DelDOT | DBE
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) DBE regulations require recipients of federal financial assistance to establish goals for the participation of disadvantaged businesses. The regulations also require states to certify the eligibility of DBE firms to participate in their USDOT-assisted contracts. DelDOT evaluates each of their USDOT-assisted contracts and establishes contract specific DBE goals to ensure nondiscrimination in federally-assisted
projects.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program – Delaware Department of Transportation (deldot.gov)
GA | Department of Administrative Services | DBE
The Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) provide a joint process for minority certification.
minority-business-enterprise-certification
IL | City of Chicago | DBE
The Department of Procurement Services utilizes certified businesses to promote opportunities in the contracting process by contract award to or use as a subcontractor. Firms listed in this Illinois Unified Certification Program (IL UCP) Directory have been certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), which makes them eligible to satisfy DBE goal credit for contracts funded by the United States Department of Transportation. The IL UCP participating agencies are Illinois Department of Transportation, City of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace.
IL | Department of Central Management Services | MWBE
The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and competitive business environment that will support underrepresented businesses increase their capacity, grow revenue, and enhance credentials.
Business Enterprise Program – Business Enterprise Program (BEP) (illinois.gov)
IN | INDOT | DBE
INDOT is the sole certifying agency for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE/ACDBE) programs in the state of Indiana.
MD | Maryland Department of Transportation | MBE, DBE, SBE
MBE certification is performed and managed by the Office of Minority Business Enterprise. This unit is housed within the Maryland Department of Transportation and certifies businesses for a variety of federal socioeconomic and small business programs in addition to the Maryland’s MBE Program.
NY & NJ | The Port Authority of NY & NJ | MWBE
At the Port Authority of NY & NJ, we believe that our operations should reflect the diversity of our community. Because of this diversity, we have enacted a goal to award 20 percent of contracts to Minority-owned businesses, and 10 percent of contracts to women-owned businesses. We encourage each of our partners to also adopt these goals.
•20% participation goal with certified Minority-owned business enterprises (MBE)
•10% participation goal with certified Woman-owned business enterprises (WBE)
https://panynj.diversitysoftware.com/
NY | New York Empire State Development | MBE
To promote equality of economic opportunities for MWBEs and to eliminate barriers to their participation in state contracts. We supplement New York State’s economic leadership with information and resources that increase access to information and opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses throughout the state.
NY | New York City Department of Small Business | MBE
The City of New York Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) Program expands opportunities for minority and women entrepreneurs to access government contracts and grow their businesses. When eligible businesses are certified with the City, they become more visible to prospective buyers, including City agencies and private contractors seeking to purchase goods and services.
OR | Oregon State Certification Office for Business Inclusion & Diversity | DBE
The Oregon State Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) certifies Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) that meet the federal eligibility criteria as established
in 49 CFR 23 and 26. The primary goal of certification is to level the playing field by providing certified firms a fair opportunity to compete for government contracts regardless of owner ethnicity, gender, disability, or firm size.
https://www.oregon4biz.com/How-We-Can-Help/COBID/
PA | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | SB
The Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion & Small Business Opportunities (BDISBO) verifies self-certified Small Businesses that wish to participate as Minority, Woman, Service-Disabled, LGBT, and Disability-Owned Business Enterprises through the Small Diverse Businesses program. Eligible Small Business must hold certifications as diverse businesses with one of the Department’s approved third-party certification entities.
PA | City of Philadelphia OEO | MWBE
The City of Philadelphia is committed to diversity. City government aims to work with minority, woman, and disabled-owned businesses (M/W/DSBEs) on public contracts as often as possible.
The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) helps City departments do this. Through the OEO registry, M/W/DSBE-certified businesses get preference in the City contracting process. The City aims to fill at least 35 percent of all contracts through minority, woman, or disabledowned enterprises. Non-City entities can also access this list. This process creates opportunities for diverse companies.
PA | Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (SEPTA) | DBE
SEPTA is a certifying participant in the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (PA UCP). The PA UCP was established in response to a federal requirement to provide “one-stop-shopping”
for businesses seeking certification by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE).
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Office | SEPTA
TN | State of TN | MBE
In general, to be eligible for the State of Tennessee’s Diversity Business Enterprise program and be certified as Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), Persons with Disabilities (DSBE), Service-Disabled Veteran (SDVBE) or Small Business Enterprise (SBE), persons must be a U.S. Citizen and resident in the State of Tennessee. Out-of-state firms may receive certification through reciprocity from their home state.
TX | City of Austin | DBE
The Small & Minority Business Resources Department (SMBR) administers the Minority-Owned, Women-Owned, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Procurement Programs for the City of Austin. Our mission is to promote access and equity on City of Austin contracts, providing economic opportunity to small, minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged businesses.
VA | Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity | SWaM
The Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Business (SWaM) certification program is a state program of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The purpose is to enhance procurement opportunities for SWaM businesses participating in state-funded projects.
https://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/certification-division/swam/
WA | Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises | DBE
The Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises is charged with certifying small, minority and women-owned businesses to facilitate their participation in public contracting and procurement. This is accomplished through a comprehensive certification process and education. The outcome – successful small businesses led by minorities, women and veterans help make our economy and our families more resilient, strengthening our communities and improving the quality of life for all Washingtonians.