New Year, Time to Plan

Are you considering getting a diverse certification for your business? Perhaps you’re a certified business looking to plan which 3rd party certifier events to attend? Either way, the beginning of the year is always a good time to review your options and determine how best to utilize your diverse status.

The Certifiers

• Disability:IN, the 3rd party certifier for People with Disability or Disabled owned businesses (DOBEs).
• National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the 3rd party certifier of LGBT businesses (LGBTEs).
• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the 3rd party certifier, that certifies minority (for their certifying purpose NMSDC defines minority as Asian, Black, Hispanic and/or Native American business owner that is “at least 1/4 or 25% minimum” of one of these categories) business (MBEs).
• National Veteran Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), a 3rd party certifier of veteran and service disabled owned businesses (VBEs or SDVBEs).
• National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC), a 3rd party certifier of Veteran and Service-Disabled owned businesses (VBEs or SDVBEs).
• National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC), a 3rd party certifier that certifies women businesses (WBEs) and a SBA-approved certifier for the WOSB program for both WOSB and EDWOSB status.
• US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC), a 3rd party certifier of Asian American (heritage includes China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Mongolia) owned businesses (ABEs).
• US Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC), 3rd party certifier that certifies women businesses (WBEs) and is a SBA-approved certifier for the WOSB program for both WOSB and EDWOSB status.
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the largest 3rd party certifier that certifies women businesses (WBEs) and a SBA-approved certifier for the WOSB program for WOSB status only.
• While not a certifier, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) offers networking opportunities for its business members.

Almost all of the certifiers will help SDMWVLGBTQBE (Small, Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer Business Enterprise) owners for free. They will explain their forms and tell you what supporting documents you need. Generally, certifier staff members are not permitted to discuss the contents of your application with you before it is submitted. That means, they can’t give you a heads up if you have issues that can result in a denial. It is always a good idea to have your attorney or a neutral expert take a look.

Calendar of Events

March

• USWCC & ASBCC’s Federal Contracting Spring Summit. When: March 4-5. Where: Arlington, VA. Learn more: https://uswcc.org/events/national-small-business-federal-contracting-summit-spring-2020/.
• Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF)’s Veteran Edge Conference. When: March 5-8. Where: Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX. Learn More: https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/entrepreneurship/growth/veteran-edge/?q=/veteranedge/&.
• WBENC’s Summit and Salute. When: March 16-18. Where: Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, TN. Learn More: https://summit.wbenc.org/. Register: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowWIB202.
• USHCC’s Legislative Summit. When: March 31-April 1. Where: Ritz Carlton, Washington, DC. Learn more: https://www.ushcclegislative.com/. Register: https://www.ushcclegislative.com/page/1480296/registration.

April

• Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau in partnership with NGLCC, Pride of the Americas 2020. When: April 21-26, 2020. Where: Greater Fort Lauderdale, FL. Learn more: https://www.sunny.org/prideamericas/.

May

• NMSDC’s Leadership Week. When: May 13-15. Where: New York, NY. Recap of 2019: https://nmsdc.org/2019-leadership-week/.

June

• USPAACC’s CelebrAsian Procurement + Business Conference. When: June 2-4. Where: Bethesda North Marriott & Conference Center. Learn more: https://celebrasianconference.com/.
• USWCC & ASBCC’s Annual National Small Business Contracting Summit Southeast. When: June 4. Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Airport Hotel & Convention Center, Charleston, SC. Learn More: https://uswcc.org/events/nsbfcs_charleston_06-04-20/.
• WBENC’s National Conference. When: June 23-25. Where: Atlanta, GA. Learn more: https://conf.wbenc.org/.

July

• Disability:IN’s 2020 Annual Conference. When: July 13-16. Where: Ritz Carlton & JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL. Learn more: https://disabilityin.org/2020conference/. Register For the Event: https://disabilityin.org/2020conference/register/.
• USWCC & ASBCC’s Federal Contracting Summer Summit. When: July 23. Where: George Mason University, Arlington, VA. Learn more: https://uswcc.org/events/national-small-business-federal-contracting-summit-dc-summer-2020/.
• NGLCC’s 2020 International Business & Leadership Conference. When: July 28-31. Where: Las Vegas, NV. Learn more: http://www.nglcc.org/nglcc20.

October

• VIB Network’s Annual Conference. When: October 12-13. Where: Sacramento, CA. 2019 Recap/Learn more: http://www.cvent.com/events/2019-veterans-in-business-network-national-conference-san-diego/event-summary-a70364625fd64b76a58cd57652e438dd.aspx.
• USWCC & ASBCC’s Federal Contracting Fall Summit. When: October 14. Where: George Mason University, Arlington, VA. Learn more: https://uswcc.org/events/national-small-business-federal-contracting-summit-dc-fall-2020/.
• NMSDC’s Conference & Business Opportunity Exchange. When: October 25-28. Where: Phoenix, AZ. 2019 Recap: https://nmsdc.org/Newsletter2019/newsletter/index.html.

Dates Not Released Yet

• NWBO’s Access Conference. Where: Detroit, MI. Learn more: http://nwbocevents.org/.
• USHCC’s National Convention. Event usually takes place in the fall.