Effective October 15, 2020, all businesses seeking Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) or Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) status will have to be certified by the SBA or an approved third-party certifier. Previously, companies that do business with the government have been able to self-certify as WOSB or EDWOSB online in the Certify.SBA.Gov portal. While the new certification portal is slated to open on July 15, initial review decisions will not be issued until October 15. Therefore, the SBA recommends that eligible business continue to self-certify until October 15. Businesses looking to apply for contracts that have been set aside for WOSB and EDWOSB should take note of the following:
- SBA certification will be free and the application will be submitted through a new online portal to be opened on July 15.
- All businesses that are currently self-certified will need to reapply for certification in the new portal by October 15.
- Third-party certification will continue to be an option. Please note that third-party certifiers charge a fee to the applicant.
- Those firms certified by an approved third-party will need to upload the WOSB or EDWOSB Certificate into the new portal beginning July 15.
For more information on Woman-Owned Small Business certification benefits, set-asides, and procedures, please go to www.sba.gov/wosbready.
If assistance is needed for the updated certification, please reach out to your consultant or fill out our request for consulting form to get started.