SBA Launches Website to Assist Small Firms Doing Business with the Federal Government

On Aug 10, 2016

SBA has launched certify.sba.gov, a new website to further streamline and improve the application processes for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to do business with the federal government.

“SBA is committed to being as nimble and agile as the small businesses we serve,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The launch of certify.sba.gov is just another way SBA is leveraging the power of technology for Americans. This new website first focuses on closing market gaps for women entrepreneurs in the federal marketplace by featuring the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program as we work toward breaking federal contracting goals for a second year in fiscal year 2016.”

“With this website, SBA’s contracting application and certification process for women-owned small businesses is now completely accessible online and easier than ever to complete,” added Contreras-Sweet. “Women contractors can now easily manage the certification process, including Third Party Certifications as part of the WOSB Federal Contract Program.”

According to SBA Regional Administrator Kellie LeDet who oversees  the agency programs and services for all of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the new website will eventually serve additional SBA contracting programs, including the 8(a) Business Development Program, the HUBZone Program, and others. The site will allow several forms to be filled out electronically, reducing the burden of printing, scanning, and uploading. As additional certifications like the 8(a) Business Development Program are moved into the new system, documents uploaded for one program may be reused for another.

“It’s all about simplifying the process for small business owners and entrepreneurs so they can gain access to the $500 billion dollars the federal government purchases in goods and services annually,” said LeDet.  “It is a lucrative market for small business owners to explore and having a site like certify.sba.gov  is only going to make it that much easier for companies from around this region to do business with various federal agencies.”

In addition, the site also has a tool called “Am I Eligible?”, which allows a small business to answer approximately fifteen questions and to determine if the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, the HUBZone Program, and/or the 8(a) Business Development Program are a good fit for their particular business.

“Small businesses often get too little credit for their work as our nation’s leading job-creators, generating nearly two out of three net new jobs in our economy,” Contreras-Sweet added. “Last fiscal year the federal government awarded its highest percentage of contracting dollars to small businesses in the history of the United States, totaling more than $90 billion. Those resources supported more than half a million jobs in communities across this country.  When these federal dollars churn in local communities, they create a multiplier effect that strengthens the local tax base and leads to better government services and better schools. That’s the promise of our work.”

SBA is coordinating additional public announcements for mid-August to amplify the system’s launch. Questions about the WOSB Federal Contract Program should be directed to [email protected].

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