BA Updating WOSB Contracting Program

July 12, 2019
One of the complaints regarding SBA’s Women Owned Small Business / Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business Contracting Program was the de facto requirement for a paid 3rd-party verification. No other socioeconomic program has such a requirement, and it appears SBA is finally going to get around to rectifying that. Here’s the post — and your chance to weigh in on the proposed rule:

SBA Proposes Certification Rule for Women-Owned Small Businesses. Comments from interested parties due by July 15.

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a proposed rule that will provide a free online application process for women-owned small businesses to be certified and eligible to participate in the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business Program or access contracts as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) or Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). The SBA is seeking public comments on the proposed rule by July 15, 2019.

SUBMIT COMMENTS HERE: https://bit.ly/2VyvzGV

The following proposals are included in the new rule:

Allow participation from an expanded list of federal and state entities with existing certification programs, and confirm the continued participation of approved third-party certifiers.
Eliminate the self-certification option consistent with the Small Business Act as amended within the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, Public Law 113-291, and require approved third-party certifiers to notify applicants of its fees and the option to use SBA’s free online certification process.

Adopt a $750,000 net worth standard when assessing economic disadvantage for EDWOSBs and continuing eligibility for the 8(a) Business Development Program.

The proposed rule will bolster the number of federal contract awards to WOSB and EDWOSB-certified businesses and better empower agencies to meet the 5% federal contracting goal for women-owned small businesses. Currently, contracting officers must review a contract awardee’s documentation to verify an applicant’s WOSB and EDWOSB eligibility. By establishing a transparent, centralized, and free certification process, the SBA aims to provide contracting officers with reassurance that firms participating in the WOSB Program are eligible for awards and encourage them to set aside contracts for women-owned small businesses.