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Small businesses (under a specific amount of employees, revenue, etc.)
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Local businesses
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Businesses owned by a specific type of person (woman-, veteran-, minority-owned, etc.)
What are certifications?
Often when you hear “certifications”, people think of technical certifications that prove you can do a specific type of work. But there’s another type of certifications that is much less well-known.
Many public agencies (meaning cities, counties, federal government, public universities, school systems, etc.) offer benefits to help specific types of businesses grow. These certifications are based on size, ownership, or location.
Each agency decides what type of business they want to help and how. The tricky part? Most agencies have their own set of criteria as well as benefits given to certified businesses.
Curious to see the benefits that certifications often provide?
Below are some of the benefits often available through certification programs.
Protected Market
Go after contracts set aside specifically for businesses like yours. You no longer have to compete with all the big companies.
Training & Assistance
Receive training and technical assistance at no cost or a discounted cost.
Preference Points
Get preference points which help towards winning the contract.
First Tier of Referred Vendors
Become the first tier of businesses referred to when agencies seek to include supplier diversity as a part of their purchase order and contract opportunities.
Directory Listing as a S/M/W/DBE
Get listed in a directory with other certified companies. Often these directories are the go-to source for building diverse teams for pursuing contracts.
Email Notifications of Opportunities
Receive emails that include information such as contract opportunities, events, networking activities and technical assistance training.
Are certifications worth it for me?
Yes, getting certifications takes time and effort. It’s important to know the specific certification programs and their benefits available to your business. Not all certifications will be right for you, so you want to research and choose wisely.
Luckily for you, we did the hard part for you! Head over to our anonymous Discover Your Eligibility Questionnaire to quickly see a customized report of what benefits your business may be eligible to receive. (No email sign up or hoops to jump through, just free, good information)
