Certification programs assist small business owners to compete in the marketplace and grow their companies by taking advantage of small business opportunities for products and services. The purpose is to set aside a certain amount of business exclusively for small businesses – allowing these businesses to compete within the marketplace among peers and equality competitive companies with the same capacity. As part of the certification process, business owners are required to enter information about the company in the specified supplier database. The process allows the applicant’s business status to be validated by a certifying agency.
The applicants must meet the governing definition of a small business with requirements that the company is 51 percent owned, managed, operated and controlled by an ethnic minority or a group of minorities. This certification is a marketing tool to compete in the private and public segments for small business opportunities. It does not entitle or guarantee the company will receive any corporate or government contracts.