Frequently Asked Questions
Expose as Block
No
Minority-Owned Business (MBE)
A business enterprise that is at least 51 percent owned by a minority individual or group (see classifications below) or, in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock must be controlled by a minority individual or group. Owner(s) must be actively engaged in the management and daily operations of the firm.
Owner(s) must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien.
Minority classifications include:
- African American - Person(s) having origins in any black racial groups of Africa
- Hispanic American - Person(s) of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American, Central American, Caribbean, and other Spanish culture or origin
- Native American - Person(s) having origin in any of the original peoples of North America or the Hawaiian Islands, in particular American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians
- Asian Pacific American - Person(s) having origins in Asia or the Indian subcontinent, including but not limited to Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Polynesia, Samoa, Guam the U.S Trust Territories of the Pacific, Northern Marianas, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
- Other - Members are found to be disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act.
- Women-Owned Business (WBE) - A business enterprise that is at least 51% owned by a woman or women or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more women, and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.
Owner(s) must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien. - Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVBE) - Owner(s) must be veteran of the military, naval, or air service of the United States with a service-connected disability and must be a resident of the state of California.
- SBA 8(a) Program Business (8(a)) - A business enterprise that has met the basic requirements for admission to the 8(a) Business Development program. The basic requirements include being a small business which is unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Expose as Block
No
- To be certified as a minority-owned or woman-owned business, contact The Supplier Clearinghouse at 1-800- 359-7998.
- To be certified as a minority-owned business, contact National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) at 1-212-944-2430.
- To be certified as a woman-owned business, contact Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) at 1-202-872-5505.
- To be certified as a service disabled veteran-owned business (DVBE), contact California Procurement Division of Dept. of General Services at 1-916-375-4940.
- To be certified as a small business as part of the SBA 8(a) Business Development program, contact the SAM at 1-866-606-8220.
Expose as Block
No
Yes. For all PO/contracts >$250K, prime suppliers are required to submit a DBE subcontracting (Tier 2) commitment. The commitment must be submitted with RFP proposal for your bid to be evaluated.
Expose as Block
No