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The Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise Certification Program (M/WBE) connects certified M/WBE businesses with opportunities to sell their products and services to New York City agencies. The program's goal is to promote fairness and equity in City procurement processes by providing services designed to strengthen the ability of certified M/WBEs to increase their capacity and effectively contribute to the City's economy.
Certified businesses obtain greater access to and information about contracting opportunities through classes, networking events, and targeted solicitations, receive technical assistance to better compete for those contracts, and benefit from inclusion in the City's Online Directory of Certified Businesses. The directory listing is an excellent vehicle for promoting M/WBE business to purchasers.
To be eligible for M/WBE Certification:
- The business' legal structure must be one of the following: Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation. Not for Profit businesses are ineligible.
- The business must be authorized to do business in New York State.
- The business must have been selling products or services for a period of at least one year prior to the date of application.
- The business must be at least 51% owned, controlled and operated by US citizen(s) or permanent resident(s) who are member(s) of a designated minority group(s) including Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific, and Asian-Indian OR a woman or women.
- The business must have a real and substantial presence in New York City, which means that the business must either be located in the five boroughs of New York City, or in one of the following counties: Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties in New York, or Bergen, Hudson, or Passaic counties in New Jersey. Businesses located outside of New York City must have a significant tie to the City's business community (e.g., have derived 25% or more of gross receipts from business conducted in the City, possess a license issued by the City, etc.).
Please note: If a business is M/WBE certified with one of the NYC Department of Small Business Services' partner organizations, the business may be eligible to submit a M/WBE Fast Track Application. Businesses that have previously applied for MWBE Certification or are currently under review with the City of New York are not eligible for a Fast Track Application. Before beginning this application, businesses should contact the organization with which they are certified with to find out if they qualified for a Fast Track Application.
The NYC Department of Small business Services' partner organizations are:
- New York School construction Authority - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - Women President's Educational Organization - New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. - New York State Department of Economic Development, Division of Minority & Women's
Please note: The Apply Online feature is only available for new certifications.
1.
The business must have an FMS Vendor Number with the City of New York. If the business does not have an FMS Vendor Number, please apply for one by completeing the Vendor Enrollment Application by clicking the Vendor Enrollment link above.
2.
Applicable business certificates, based on the business's legal structure as described in prerequisites three through six, below, are required before applying for M/WBE Certification.
3.
Sole Proprietorships operating under a trade or Doing-Business-As (DBA) name must obtain a Business / Assumed Name Certificate from the clerk of the county in which the business is conducted. Sole Proprietors doing business under their own name - and not under a trade or Doing-Business-As (DBA) name - do not need a Business Certificate.
4.
General / Business Partnerships must obtain a Partnership Certificate from the clerk of the county in which the business is conducted.
5.
Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or Limited Liability Partnerships must register and remain active with the New York State Department of State. Active status will be verified by SBS prior to issuance of certification. To confirm the status of your business entity, visit the Department of State Corporation and Business Entity Database Search link. If operating under an Assumed or Doing-Business-As (DBA) Name, an Assumed Name Certificate must also be filed for your business.
6.
Businesses registered outside of New York State must obtain a Certificate of Doing Business in Good Standing from the business' home state's Secretary of State and file it with an application for Authority to Conduct Business in New York with the New York State Secretary of State.
7.
The businesses must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Sole Proprietors may use a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply instead of an EIN.
1.
An authorized representative of the business should complete Application Part A online by clicking the Apply Online link above. The authorized representative will be the point of contact for all communications from the Department of Small Business services. Applicants who are not eligible for certification will be notified as they complete the application.
2.
Once Application Part A has been submitted, the authorized representative will receive a confirmation page via email with access to a paper-based portion of the application, called Application Part B.
3.
The authorized representative should complete Application Part B. Application Part B requires the authorized representative to answer specific questions about the business and provide the supporting documentation indentified in the Prerequisites section, above. An eligible owner of the business applying for M/WBE certification must sign the application before it is complete. The eligible owner signing the application must be a minority or a woman. It is strongly advised that the person signing the application understand all of the information in the application.
4.
The authorized representative must submit Application Part B together with a printed copy of the confirmation page received in Application Part A via mail within 45 days of submitting Application Part A online.
5.
The business will recieve a letter indicating if the business is approved or denied for M/WBE certification. Businesses that are denied certification may appeal the decision by following the process outlined in the denial letter.
Steps to Apply Offline:
1.
An authorized representative should complete the M/WBE Certification Application, available under Application Materials above, which requires the applicant to answer specific questions about the business and provide supporting documentation. The authorized representative will be the point of contact for all communications from the Department of Small Business services. Supporting documentation is outlined within the M/WBE Certification Application and in the Prerequisites section, above. An eligible owner of the business applying for M/WBE certification must sign the application before it is complete. The eligible owner signing the application must be a minority or a woman. It is strongly advised that the person signing the application understand all of the information in the application.
2.
The authorized representative will submit a completed application via mail to the address listed under Contact Information below.
3.
The business will receive a letter indicating if the business is approved or denied for M/WBE certification. Businesses that are denied certification may appeal the decision by following the process outlined in the denial letter.
1.
The certification is effective for five years from the date on the confirmation letter.
2.
To maintain M/WBE status during the certification period, certified businesses must annually submit an affirmation form confirming that there was no material change in ownership, operation or control of the certified business in the previous year. The affirmation form is provided to certified businesses via mail prior to each anniversary of certification.
3.
To change the authorized representative at any time, contact the Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity at the contact information listed below.
4.
If you are already registered and any of your information has changed, contact the Vendor Enrollment Center at (212) 857 - 1680 to update your information.
5.
To re-certify, the business will have to complete and submit an abbreviated version of certification application which will be sent to the business before the end of their current five year certification. Please note: Businesses that have previously applied for MWBE Certification through the fast track application process, will have to complete and submit a full MWBE certification application in order to re-certify.
For assistance completing the M/WBE Certification application, The New York City Department of Small Business Services' Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity provides M/WBE Certification Workshops regularly where trained certification analysts guide businesses through the certification process so they can get their applications right the first time. Businesses applying for certification are strongly encouraged to attend this one-session workshop. For the latest schedule and to register for a workshop, visit the Online Registration for M/WBE Certification Workshops under Additional Information above, or call 311 and ask for "Department of Small Business Services-Seminars & Workshops". Note: Advanced registration is required to attend a M/WBE Certification Workshop.
This page gives general information
only. To start or run your business, you may need more information about City,
State and Federal laws. If you do not comply with all laws and rules you may
have to pay fines and you may lose your licenses or permits. This loss may be
temporary (suspension) or permanent (revocation). You may also be subject to
other penalties allowed by law.
This information is not legal advice.
You can only obtain legal advice from a lawyer. For more information or
help: • Contact the issuing agency, using the contact information above •
Visit 311
online • Call 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK if outside New York
City)
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