Small Business Certification

SBSD SWaM Certification Covers the Following Designations:

• • Small – “Small business” means a business that is at least 51% independently owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, and together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees, or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years. One or more of these individual owners shall control both the management and daily business operations of the small business.
    
    

• • Micro – As a certified Small Business, your company may qualify as a “Micro Business”. Micro Business is a designation that has no more than twenty-five (25) employees and no more than $3 million in average annual revenue over the three-year period prior to their certification.
    
    

• • Woman-Owned – “Women-owned business” means a business that is at least 51% owned by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, or in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest is owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or legal resident aliens, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.
    
    

• • Minority-Owned – “Minority-owned business” means a business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more minority individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, or in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more minority individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minority individuals, or any historically black college or university, regardless of the percentage ownership by minority individuals or, in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, the equity ownership interest in said entity.
    
    

Other State Agency Designations That Can Be Acknowledged in Your Virginia SWaM Profile:

• • Service Disabled Veterans – Veterans who are small business owners can obtain Service-Disabled Veteran-owned (SDV) status in the SWaM vendor database. This is not a separate certification, but a designation of businesses owned by Service-Disabled Veterans who are certified as such by the Virginia Department of Veteran Services (DVS). Veterans can apply for small, women-owned or minority­-owned certification with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity before or after obtaining an eligibility certificate from DVS. Both services are available at no charge. Veterans wishing to apply for Service-Disabled Veteran status must first seek eligibility certification from the Department of Veteran Services by calling (804) 786-0286 or visiting the DVS website.
    
    

• Employment Services Organization – “Employment services organization” (ESO) means an organization that provides community-based employment services to individuals with disabilities that is an approved Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accredited vendor of the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
  

  
  What you’ll need to apply for ESO designation:

  1. Copy of Certification letter or Certificate from Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
  2. Copy of Certification letter or Certificate from CARF
  3. Copy of IRS Form 990 of most current year
  4. Copy of Organization By-laws
     
     

Federal Designations That Can Be Acknowledged in Your Virginia SWaM Profile:

• • 8a – This is a federal certification from the US Small Business Administration (SBA). If a firm provides documentation that they are certified as such, SBSD will add the designation to your company’s profile. Please provide your SBA 8a approval letter.
    
    

• • EDWOSB – This is a federal distinction for economically disadvantaged woman owned small businesses that are verified by the SBA. If a firm provides documentation that they are certified as such, SBSD will add the designation to your company’s profile. Please provide your SBA EDWOSB approval letter.
    
    

• WOSB – This is a federal distinction for woman owned small businesses that are verified by the SBA. If a firm provides documentation that they are certified as such, SBSD will add the designation to your company’s profile. Please provide your SBA WOSB approval letter.
  
  

• FSDV – This is a federal distinction for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans that are verified by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. If a firm provides documentation that they are certified as such, SBSD will add the designation to your company’s profile. Please provide your SBA FSDV approval letter.
  
  

For Businesses Based Outside of Virginia:

Non-Virginia based businesses may be eligible for participation in the Virginia Small, Women, and Minority-Owned Business Certification. Please review the Certification Policy of Applications from Non-Virginia Based Businesses before applying for SWaM certification or recertification.