On October 7, 2010, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published 13 CFR Part 127, entitled “SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Assistance Procedures.”
These long-awaited rules are designed to get federal contracts awarded to women-owned businesses in 83 different industry classifications. A list of these classifications may be found here.
Specifically, the Woman Owned Small Business Program authorizes federal contracting officers to set-aside certain procurement requirements for competition solely among women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) or economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs).
As a stepping-off point, a business must meet the small business size standard that corresponds to the NAICS code that is your business’ primary industry classification. The primary industry classification is a six-digit NAICS code that best describes your primary business activity. NAICS code designations may be found at: http://www.sba.gov/size. If you are a WOSB that meets the small business size standard, and your NAICS code is one of the 83 codes mentioned above, then you are eligible to participate in this program. There are additional steps, however, you must take to actually benefit from this program.
There are specific guidelines that pertain to ownership and control of a WOSB and of a EDWOSB. These guidelines may be found here and here. You should study these guidelines to make sure your company meets SBA’s standards for woman ownership and control of your business.
Here are other important details on how to qualify for participation:
- In order to qualify as a WOSB or EDWOSB for a federal contract, you must self-certify your status or receive approval of a Third-Party Certifier. The SBA plans to post a list of approved Third Party Certifiers at www.sba.gov/WOSB.
- You also must register in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at https://www.ccr.gov and register in ORCA at https://orca.bpn.gov.
- You also must provide documents supporting EDWOSB or WOSB status to SBA’s online document repository — called that the WOSB Program Repository — that SBA is planning to establish.
- Your online submittal must include certification forms, draft copies of which may be found here and here.
- EDWOSBs also must submit SBA Form 413, Personal Financial Statement, which may be found here: http://www.sba.gov/tools/Forms/index.html.
For more information, contact your GTPAC Counselor for a briefing or for answers to your specific questions. Also, check back at this page regularly to see news about program updates, including administrative procedures and forms.
You also may wish to consult SBA’s WOSB Program Guide which may be found at: http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_program_office/women_owned_small_busine_guide.pdf.
