Women Owned Small Business Program
Women Owned Small Business Program (WOSB)
On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a final rule effective February 4, 2011, aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible:
- Women-owned small businesses (WOSB) or
- Economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs)
Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible, a firm must be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final rule.
5 Steps to participate in the WOSB program:
- Read the WOSB Federal Contract program regulations in the Federal Register and the WOSB Compliance Guide.
- Register in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) as WOSB or EDWOSB.*
- Log onto SBA’s General Login System (GLS). *Obtain an account now if you don’t already have one
- Go to the WOSB program repository (through GLS) and upload / categorize all required documents.
- Represent your status in Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA).*
*The CCR and ORCA system updates to accommodate the new business types are currently in process by the General Services Administration. These updates are expected to be completed in April 2011.
For assistance with certifying your company as a WOSB or an EDWOSB, please contact Patricia Suarez at (210) 458-2458.
