In the world of Engineering, Architecture, and Construction, the majority of our work is earned through the highly competitive process of governmental contracts. If you are a small, new, or disadvantaged business owner in the industry, you already know the challenges when you’re competing against much larger, more established companies.
Is your Disadvantaged, Small, Minority, or Woman owned business certified?
Many business owners are unaware of the Small Business Certifications that are available to help companies within a certain socioeconomic status. Assistance may be received with starting, building, and growing their markets, while also qualifying them for more government contract opportunities. These certifications exist due to the Small Business Act of 1953, which legally requires 23 percent of prime federal contracts to be given to small, certified businesses.
What kind of small business certifications are there?
In Texas, the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (SCTRCA) grants certifications to underrepresented business, such as:
- African Americans (AABE)
- Asian Americans (ABE)
- Disabled Individuals (DIBE)
- Emerging Small Businesses (ESBE)
- Hispanic Americans (HABE)
- Minorities (MBE)
- Native Americans (NABE)
- Small Business Enterprises (SBE)
- Veterans (VBE)
- Woman-owned Business Enterprises (WBE)
If you own a firm in Texas that falls under any of the above categories, you should definitely become certified by the SCTRCA. Doing so will provide a lot more jobs for your firm and deliver a range of additional benefits. As another win in certifying, you may also qualify for more than one certification if your company meets multiple certification categories.
What are the benefits of small business certifications?
Getting certified can help you jump start your business’s growth while simultaneously gaining you more awareness in your industry. The SCTRCA certification credentials can also help you:
- Increase government contracting opportunities: Because agencies are required to award contracts to certified firms, your chances for selection are significantly increased by gaining your certifications.
- More subcontracting opportunities: Being certified can help you get selected for subcontract work on large projects that require a percentage of their team to be small business certified.
- Elevate your value: Certifications will help set your firm apart from others while building up your credibility. Another bonus is the official seal you can apply to your marketing materials.
- Increase your visibility: When you become certified, you will register your business in the SCTRCA “Members Entities and Corporate Sponsors Database.” Doing so will allow your name to be seen by other companies browsing for certified firms.
Here at Unintech Consulting Engineers, Inc., having these certifications helps us become an invaluable team member for other businesses to gain the necessary percentages for contracts. In the long term, certifying has helped our name gain increased recognition and provide us additional opportunities to further demonstrate our capabilities through more work and more experience.
Getting your small or women/minority owned business certified can be a huge asset for your company and has the potential to help solve many of your issues with building your workload. Don’t hesitate. Start the certification process today. Approval can take up to ninety days, so if you’re hoping to pursue any upcoming proposals, the time to act is now!