Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 established
the government wide goal for participation by small businesses
owned and controlled by women. The federal government must
award at least 5 percent of the total value of all prime
contract and subcontract awards to WOSB each year. Although
the program has a required goal set by law, there are no
set-aside procurement programs or incentives for awarding
a contract to WOSBs.
Eligibility Requirements
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) defines a "women-owned
small business concern" as follows:
"Women-owned small business concern means a small business
concern - (a) which is at least 51 percent owned by one
or more women; or, in the case of any publicly owned business,
at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one
or more women; and (b) whose management and daily business
operations are controlled by one or more women."
The federal government does not require any formal certification
for women-owned small businesses. If your business meets
the definition, and you are submitting a proposal for federal
procurement, you can "self-certify." The reason
that there is no certification requirement for prime contractors
is because there are no preference programs to award prime
contracts to women-owned small business. However, if you
are submitting a proposal for a federal subcontract (and
sometimes in the private sector as a prime) the prime contractor
may require certification that your business is in fact
a woman-owned business. This is not a federal certification,
rather it is typically provided by a non-government organization.
If you are interested in checking on the requirements for
WOSB certification, you can contact the following organizations
regarding the procedures and benefits of being certified
as a woman-owned business: Women's
Business Enterprise National Council or National
Association of Women Business Owners.
For additional information about Women-Owned Small Business
(WOSB) please visit the Small
Business Administration's (SBA) Women's Business Center
web site or contact your NC
PTAC Counselor for more information.
