Any business who plans to bid on federal grants and contracts should register in SAM. Additionally, if you are looking to receive any SBA Certifications, a SAM Registration is a requirement in order to obtain any SBA certification. If you have a registration and are unsure of your status, use the SAM Status Lookup Tool by selecting the button below.
Category: Small Business Certification
Who should register in SAM?
Any business who plans to bid on federal grants and contracts should register in SAM. Additionally, if you are looking to receive any SBA Certifications, a SAM Registration is a requirement in order to obtain any SBA certification. If you have a registration and are unsure of your status, use the SAM Status Lookup Tool by selecting the button below.
What HUBZone assistance is available to help firms?
If your firm no longer qualifies for HUBZone Certification, there may be other certifications it does qualify for. Browse the Federal Small Business Certification Options page if you want to learn more about other certifications and y our eligibility. Use the Small Business Calculator Tool below to see if your business qualifies for any Small Business Certification.
What happens to employees who will no longer live in a HUBZone when the map is updated?
As of the July 2023 map update, employees who no longer reside in a HUBZone area would not be counted as HUBZone residents when determining the eligibility of a business. There is a requirement that 35% of fulltime employees must reside in a HUBZone. The HUBZone Map updates every 5 years, the next one being in 2028. If you are unsure of your eligibility, use the map and then click the button below to fill out the eligibility questionnaire.
What are the VA Subcontracting Goals?
VA Subcontracting Goals
The 2022 VA subcontracting goals are based upon total procurement dollars expended and are the suggested minimum goals for VA administered subcontracting plans. Below is a table of the exact percentage the VA spends on their federal contracting dollars and to who they award them to. You can also browse the VOSB Certification and Eligibility page to learn more.
What is the grace period for self certified VOSBs and SDVOSBs?
Grace Period for Self-Certified Firms
- The NDAA 2021 grants a one-year grace period for self-certified SDVOSBs until January 1, 2024. During the grace period, self-certified businesses have one year to file an application for SDVOSB certification and may continue to rely on their self-certification to compete for non-VA SDVOSB set-aside contracts.
- Self-certified SDVOSBs that apply before January 1, 2024, will maintain their eligibility through the expiration of the grace period until SBA issues a final eligibility decision.
- VOSBs and SDVOSBs seeking sole-source and set-aside opportunities with the VA must be certified – there is no grace period.
To check more of the benefits and your eligibility for a VOSB/SDVOSB Certification, click the button below
What is a Competitive Set-Aside Contract?
Competitive Set-Aside Contracts
When at least two small businesses could perform the work or provide the products being purchased, the government sets aside the contract exclusively for small businesses. With few exceptions, this happens automatically for all government contracts under $150,000.
Some set-asides are open to any small business, but some are open only to small businesses who participate in SBA contracting assistance programs.
To check more of the benefits and your eligibility for a Small Business Certification, click the button below
What is a Sole-Source Set-Aside Contract?
Sole-Source Set-Aside Contracts
Most contracts are competitive, but sometimes there are exceptions to this rule. Sole-source contracts are a kind of contract that can be issued without a competitive bidding process. This usually happens in situations where only a single business can fulfill the requirements of a contract.
To be considered for a sole-source contract, register your business with the System for Award Management (SAM) and participate in any contracting program you may qualify for.
In some cases, sole-source contracts must be published publicly, and will be marked with an intent to sole source. Potential vendors can still view and bid on these contracts. Once the bidding process begins, the intent to sole-source may be withdrawn.
What will happen to my certified HUBZone firm if its eligibility is affected by the map change?
Firms that no longer meet the HUBZone program requirements as of July 1 due to the map update will remain certified through their following recertification. The grace period for redesignated HUBZone’s are until July 2026. To keep your HUBZone status, it is possible to move the principal office to a HUBZone. You can browse our HUBZone page below to read more about the certification and eligibility.
What is a redesignated HUBZone area?
A redesignated area is one that used to be located in an area that was rezoned and now no longer resides in a HUBZone. The HUBZone Map was updated on July 1, 2023 and will not be changed until 2028. If you or your business was located in a HUBZone prior to July 2023 and was redesignated, there is a You can browse our HUBZone Certification and Eligibility page below to learn more about it and your eligibility.