Benefits of becoming a Certified Women-Owned Business include:
- Greater than seventy percent of WBEs confirm an increase in revenue as a result of access to government and large corporate partners.
- Referrals to local, regional and national member corporations.
- Exposure to large national and regional companies
- Connection with corporate buyers.
- Participation in education programs and workshops to assist in personal and professional growth.
- Opportunities to network with Corporate Members at various events and activities.
- Second-tier WBE business opportunities.
There are some states that combine their Women-Owned Businesses Programs with their Minority Business Enterprise. These programs are often called the DBE or WMBE program. This is not to be confused with the Department of Transportations (DOT)-run Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) program.
The WBE Certification typically gives a business additional preference when bidding on a State or Local Municipality Contract. The WBE for contracts in some states can provide as much as a 10 -25% advantage when bidding on a contract. CRITERIA THAT ARE KEY ELEMENTS FOR BECOMING WBE CERTIFIED
| WBE | |
|---|---|
| Ownership & Control | At least 51% of the enterprise must be owned and controlled by a woman. |
| Qualifying Owner’s Personal Net Worth Limit | Net worth requirements vary depending upon each state. |
| Size Standards | Vary State by State but generally must be a small business (see below) |
| Type of Business | Any for-profit business that is independent working as either a primary or subcontractor. |
| Type of Contract | Per contract basis, varying degree of advantage given |
| Who can apply | Woman |
| On-site Inspection | Required for most in-state located firms |
| Years in business required to apply | Many states the business must only be active, other states have one and 2-year requirements. |
| Franchise Eligibility | Franchises are ineligible for this program |
WBE CERTIFICATION PACKAGE DETAILS
- Initial interview to ensure your WBE application will be successful. We conduct a thorough interview of over fifty questions to make sure your application will be a success before we begin.
- A document checklist is created and sent to the client. This will be a list of all the enclosures needed to complete the WBE application.
- An analyst/lead point of contact will be assigned to your firm work on your WBE package immediately upon retaining our firm.
- We review all documentation submitted for potential problems. The state governments place a high level of scrutiny on WBE applications and, therefore, review all documents.
- We will communicate with you (by email and telephone) throughout the process of obtaining your WBE application ensuring the critical path’s needs are being met for application completion.
- An analyst will interview you and prepare the economically and socially disadvantaged narrative(s) that are a critical piece of your MBE or WBE application.
- We will complete the entire application, double-checking all elements to ensure it meets all state guidelines. Assembling the entire package (usually 3 -4 inches thick) in a binder in the correct format with a detailed table of contents.
- We tab all places in the WBE application where your signature is needed and will send the completed package so you for signing and forward it to the State Review Board.
- When we send it, your WBE application is ready for the state to review. Most certifying bodies take between 3 and 4 months to review and approve the application.
Fee: $1,800.00
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*Only $1000 when combined with 8(a) Certification
