Handling Documentation Gaps

So, you want to get certified as a SDMWVLGBTBE (Small Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprise) but the list of documents is overwhelming. And, in some instances, the business might not even have everything the certifying agency requires. We know many people who have decided not to pursue…

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What Your Lawyer Doesn’t Realize Could Hurt Your Business

Lawyers are busy, harried folks who often rely on state sanctioned boilerplates when it comes to the agreements used by many of us SDMWVLGBTBEs (Small Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprises) owners. Not all lawyers specialize in business law, and even those that do may not be familiar with…

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Small Business Supplier Diversity

Certified small DMWVLGBTBEs (Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprises) reap the benefits of the diversity spend goals set by government agencies and large corporations. These organizations understand the compelling business case for diversity and inclusion.  A couple years ago, we wrote several posts based on the book The Inclusion Dividend:…

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You Should Get Certified!

If you’re a DMWVLGBTBE (Disadvantaged or Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprise), particularly if you’re a small business, you’ve probably heard that advice. We’ve talked about having a strategy when it comes to selecting the certifications that are right for your business, but just jumping right into filling out a…

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The Need for Supplier Diversity?

Back in 2010 we wrote  a brief history of Supplier Diversity, the highlights of which included a brief synopsis of the following Executive Orders: 10925 11246, 11458, 11625, and 12432. At the federal level these orders formed the basis for the process of identifying and vetting businesses claiming diverse status. Again, diverse is an easy…

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CAGE Code Changes

If you’re a SDMWVLGBTBE (Small, Disadvantaged, Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprise) owner that has been chasing Federal contracts you have a CAGE code.  We’ve had one since the late 1990s. This CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) Code is a unique identifier (ID) assigned to Federal suppliers. And this code is assigned to any business, no…

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Disparity Studies’ Purpose

Disparity Studies are conducted to determine the utilization of Disadvantaged Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (DMWBE) for various states, counties and cities.  The study generally examines the process for attaining products and services, the subcontracting practices of prime contractors/service providers who do business with the government, and the evidence collected from a broad cross section…

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What is Commercially Useful?

Why should we SDMWVLGBTBE (Small, Disadvantaged, Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprise) care about Commercially Useful Functions (CUF)? Because our federal government or prime vendor clients can only take credit when the SDMWVLGBTBE actually performs, manages and/or supervises distinct elements of work that are necessary to fulfill the delivery of…

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Required Certification Documents – Governance

Why does a SDMWVLGBTBE (Small, Disadvantaged, Disabled, Minority, Women, Veteran, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Business Enterprise) get denied certification over Governance? Governance is certifier short hand that refers to the documents governing a diverse SDMWVLGBT business and its operations. Certifiers (the SBA, VA, state agencies or third party organizations) review these documents to make…

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Getting Certified ~ Six Simple Steps

Our company has always been a women-owned business enterprise (WBE), and getting WBE certified in 1989 was a piece of cake compared to today’s rigorous process. Through various organizations and events we have met many other small business owners who became minority- or women-owned certified at the recommendation of a large corporate supplier diversity contact.…

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