Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
Tips to the MBE/WBE Certification Process
We are pleased that you are interested in pursuing certification with the Oregon Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (OMWESB). This office is Oregon’s certifying agency for small businesses interested in participating in targeted contracting opportunities with the public sector. Following are some tips that will assist us in the review process:
Know which type of certification program you are applying for:
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)—is a program regulated by state eligibility requirements in OAR 123-200 and applies to ethnic minority-owned businesses (owned by males or females) that seek contracting opportunities with city, county, state and private industry in Oregon.
Woman Business Enterprise (WBE)—is a program regulated by state eligibility requirements in OAR 123-200 and applies to businesses owned by women who wish to seek contracting opportunities with city, county, state and private industry in Oregon.
Fill out all questions on the application. If something does not apply, include “NA” for your response.
Thequalifying minority or womanowner(s) must sign the application.
Include copies of all requested documentation with your application. If your firm is a Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation, refer to pages 4-7 of the application package to locate the list of documentation to submit with your completed application. Incomplete applications may be denied.
Apply for certification in the areas of work in which the qualifying individual(s) have experience/education and that the company has the resources/licensing necessary to conduct business in Oregon. Select the appropriate NAICS code(s) description from the enclosed list of codes that apply.
Business/individual licenses or registrations must be current in Oregon.
When a certification specialist calls or emails you to schedule an on-site visit at the business location or conduct a telephone interview, make yourself available at your earliest convenience.
Certification specialists may need to request additional information to support eligibility. Be sure to fax or email the information prior to the deadline included on the correspondence. Failure to provide the requested information orto contact the certification specialist to request an extension prior to the deadline will result in denial of your application.
Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.
When certified, your business information will appear in the online directory of certified firms on the OMWESB Web site. If you have any questions about eligibility or the application process, please contact OMWESB at 503–986–0075 or send an email .
/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) Certification Requirements
Business Oregon, Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (OMWESB) is responsible for the certification of all Minority (MBE) and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) in Oregon. State law (ORS 200) authorizes this program.
To be certified, you must complete and return the enclosed application form and the required documentation specific to your legal structure. Your application will be assigned and reviewed according to the date it was received. A certification specialist will contact you to schedule an interview.
If your business is certified, you will receive a letter of confirmation. We require recertification every three years after the initial certification. Once certified, your business will appear in our online directory of certified businesses.
To qualify as a MBE or WBE, all of the following criteria must be met:
•The business must be at least 51 percent owned by one or more ethnic minorities or women.
•The minority or women business owners must have managerial and operational control over all aspects of the business, as defined by OAR 445–050–0030(9) a–k (included on Page 4 of this packet).
•The minority or women owners must have made a contribution of capital and expertise to the business commensurate with their ownership interest.
•This must be a small business whose average annual gross receipts for the previous three fiscal tax years (for itself and its affiliates) do not exceed the size standards as set by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and the amounts shown for the following categories (size standards subject to change):
—General contractor ...... $33,500,000
—Specialty contractor ...... $14,000,000
—Engineering and surveying businesses ...... $14,000,000
—Non-construction businesses ...... Refer to NAICS codes. Web site
•To qualify, the majority owner or owners must be citizens of the United States or lawfully admitted permanent residents and must meet criteria below:
Any individual in the following groups, members of which are rebuttably presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged:
(i)“Black Americans,” which includes persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa
(ii)“Hispanic Americans,” which includes persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race
(iii)“Native Americans,” which includes persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts or Native Hawaiians
(iv)“Asian-Pacific Americans,” which includes persons with origins in Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Burma (Myanmar), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (Kampuchea), Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands (Republic of Palau), the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Macao, Fiji, Tonga, Kirbati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia or Hong Kong
(v)“Subcontinent Asian Americans,” which includes persons with origins in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands, Nepal or Sri Lanka
(vi)Women, regardless of ethnicity or
(vii)Any additional groups whose members are designated as socially and economically disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration (SBA), at such time as the SBA designation becomes effective
(viii)Any individual on a case-by-case basis
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The Oregon Administrative Rules
Business Oregon, Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
123-200-0030 (11/15/11)
Minority/Woman Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) Certification Procedures
Eligibility Standards for Minority and Women Business Enterprises
To be eligible as a Minority or Woman Business Enterprise, a business must meet the following criteria. The OMWESB may perform on-site investigations to verify any of the requirements of this rule.
(1) The business must be a Small Business. The average annual gross receipts for a firm and its affiliates for the previous three fiscal years must not exceed the amounts established under SBA's NAICS codes.
(2) The business must be Controlled by one or more Qualifying Individual(s). The Qualifying Individual(s) must establish Minority Group or gender status by identification, US citizenship, birth certificate, driver's license, state identification cards, naturalization documents, military discharge papers, visa, passport, etc., or evaluation for social and economic disadvantage.
(3) The business must be Owned by one or more Minority or women owners.
(4) The one or more Qualifying Individual(s) must have made a contribution of assets to the business.
(5) The business must be Independent.
(6) The business must be in existence, operational and in business for profit.
(7) The business must be properly licensed, and if required, legally registered in the state.
(8) The business must have or lease (where leasing is a normal industry practice and the lease does not involve a relationship with a prime contractor or other party that compromises the independence of the firm) sufficient machinery, equipment and employees to operate. In making this determination the OMWESB shall compare the operations of the MBE/WBE to a non-MBE/WBE operation in the same or similar business.
(9) The Qualifying Individual(s) must have training and/or experience in the primary field(s) of operation. Examples of construction related activities, including but not limited to:
(a) Currently holds or has previously held the essential individual license in the field in which this firm operates, e.g. electrical supervisor, journeyman plumber, civil engineer, landscaper;
(b) Has ability to read and interpreted blueprints and specifications;
(c) Has independently done take offs;
(d) Has independently prepared estimates and bids;
(e) Goes on site and determines if the work is proceeding in accordance with the plans;
(f) Answers technical questions from subordinates;
(g) Resolves field problems;
(h) Supervises field operations.; Examples of professional related activities, including but not limited to;
(i) Has a college degree in the field of expertise;
(j) Has years of experience and/or training in the primary field of expertise;
(k) Has experience in project management in the primary field of expertise.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 200.005 & 200.055 Stats. Implemented: ORS 200.005 & 200.055 Hist.: OBDD 17-2010, f. 4-30-10, cert. ef. 5-1-10
The official copy of an Oregon Administrative Rule is contained in the Administrative Order filed at the Archives Division, 800 Summer St. NE, Salem, Oregon 97310. Any discrepancies with the published version are satisfied in favor of the Administrative Order. The Oregon Administrative Rules and the Oregon Bulletin are copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State. Terms and Conditions of Use
[Complete text found at
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/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
MBE/WBE Sole Proprietorship Checklist
For your convenience, use this checklist and submit these items with your signed application for certification with the Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business. Incomplete applications will delay the certification process.
Individual federal tax returns for the past three years, Form 1040,all schedules. For a newly established business, submit available tax information.
Work history, including current duties within this business, for owner and the key employees. Please include education, experience and training, with dates related to the primary line of work.
Rental/lease agreements for office space and equipment related to the business.
Proof of ethnicity/gender (copy of birth certificate, passport, driver license (both sides) or tribal enrollment documents).
Company profile (brochure or flyer), including a brief description of the business’s products or services.
Current licenses necessary to conduct your business. Examples: contractor license (construction, landscaping, electrical, plumbing), ODOT motor carrier authority, city business license (if required).
Assumed business name registration. If not registered, do so at the Oregon Secretary of State Web site:
Equipment list for office and field.
Make sure the owner signs the application.
Applicants are evaluated on the basis of documentation submitted to OMWESB for review. Any changes anticipated in the ownership or control of the business or in the documentation submitted in the application for certification must be fully disclosed at the time of application.
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/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
MBE/WBE Partnership Checklist
For your convenience, use this checklist and submit these items with your signed application for certification with the Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business. Incomplete applications will delay the certification process.
Federal partnership tax returns for the past three years, Form 1065, all schedules. For a newly established business, submit available tax information.
Work history, including current duties within this business, for each owner and the key employees. Please include education, experience and training, with dates related to the primary line of work.
Rental/lease agreements for office space and equipment related to the business.
Proof of ethnicity/gender (copy of birth certificate, passport, driver license (both sides) or tribal enrollment documents).
Company profile, including a brief description of the business’s products or services. Examples: brochure or flyer.
Current licenses necessary to conduct your business. Examples: contractor license (construction, landscaping, electrical, plumbing), ODOT motor carrier authority, city business license (if required).
Partnership agreement, including buy-out rights and profit-sharing agreement (signed and dated).
Assumed business name registration. If not registered, do so at the Oregon Secretary of State Web site:
Equipment list for field and office.
Make sure the application is signed by the majority owner.
Applicants are evaluated on the basis of documentation submitted to OMWESB for review. Any changes anticipated in the ownership or control of the business or in the documentation submitted in the application for certification must be fully disclosed at the time of application.
440–2868 (12/12/COM)1 of 19
/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
MBE/WBE Corporation Checklist
For your convenience, use this checklist and submit these items with your signed application for certification with the Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business. Incomplete applications will delay the certification process.
Corporate federal tax returns for the past three years, Form 1120 or 1120s, all schedules.For a newly established business, submit available tax information.
Work history, including current duties within this business, for each owner and the key employees. Please include education, experience and training (with dates) related to the primary line of work.
Rental/lease agreements for office space and equipment related to the business.
Proof of ethnicity/gender (copy of birth certificate, passport, driver license (both sides) or tribal enrollment documents).
Company profile, including a brief description of the corporation’s products or services. Examples: brochure or flyer.
Current licenses necessary to conduct your business. Examples: contractor license (construction, landscaping, electrical, plumbing), ODOT motor carrier authority, city business license (if required).
Copies of the articles of incorporation filed with the Oregon Secretary of State:
Stock certificates issued (copy both sides, not specimen certificate).
Equipment list for field and office.
Make sure the application is signed by the majority owner.
Applicants are evaluated on the basis of documentation submitted to OMWESB for review. Any changes anticipated in the ownership or control of the business or in the documentation submitted in the application for certification must be fully disclosed at the time of application.
440–2868 (12/12/COM)1 of 19
/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
MBE/WBE Limited Liability Company (LLC) Checklist
For your convenience, use this checklist and submit these items with your signed application for certification with the Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business. Incomplete applications will delay the certification process.
Individual or partnershipFederal tax returns for the past three years, all schedules.For a newly established business, submit available tax information.
Work history, including current duties within this business, for each owner and the key employees. Please include education, experience and training related to the primary line of work (with dates).
Rental/lease agreements for office space and equipment related to the business.
Proof of ethnicity/gender (copy of birth certificate, passport, driver license (both sides) or tribal enrollment documents).
Company profile, including a brief description of the company’s products or services. Examples: brochure or flyer.
Current licenses necessary to conduct your business. Examples: contractor license (construction, landscaping, electrical, plumbing), ODOT motor carrier authority, city business license (if required).
Copies of the articles of organization filed with the Oregon Secretary of State:
Equipment list for field and office.
Make sure the application is signed by the majority owner.
Applicants are evaluated on the basis of documentation submitted to OMWESB for review. Any changes anticipated in the ownership or control of the business or in the documentation submitted in the application for certification must be fully disclosed at the time of application.
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/ Business OregonOffice of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business
775 Summer St. NE, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301-1280
Phone: 503–986–0075, Fax: 503–581–5115
/ For office use only:
Certification no.:
Application for Minority/Women Business Enterprise Certification (MBE/WBE)
Business is applying for:Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and/orWomen Business Enterprise (WBE)
1. / Legal Name of firm:Any ABN/DBA used:
Street address:
City: / County: / State: / ZIP:
Mailing address (if different):
City: / State: / ZIP:
Phone: / -- / Fax: / --
E-mail: / Web site (if applicable):
Owner’s full name: / Title:
Please list other business names previously used:
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN):
Oregon Business Identification Number (BIN):
2. / Have you been certified by other DBE/MBE/WBE programs? Yes No
If “yes,” please list all agencies and include proof of certification:
Has this business or any of its owners ever been denied certification or decertified? Yes No
If yes, by which agency:
Date of denial: / // / Date of decertification: / //
3. / Attach a signed ESB Attachment Application (Form 440-2920) to also be considered for Emerging Small Business (ESB) Certification with the MBE/WBE documentation. The ESB program is for Oregon-based businesses only.
4. / Legal structure: / Sole proprietorship / Partnership / S Corp.
Limited liability co. (LLC) / Corporation
Date you acquired majority ownership: / //
Date business established: / //
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5. / Is the applicant’s business a subsidiary or division of another business? Yes No6. / Capabilities: Please refer to the attached North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code list. In the first and second columns, list any NAICS code numbers and the NAICS descriptions that apply to your business.
Under “Business capability,” clearly identify the products or services in which the qualifying individual(s) havethe experience/training and that the company has the resources/licensing necessary to conduct business in Oregon. (See example in first row.)
Enter your primary line of work on the first line after the example line.
NAICS code no. / NAICS description / Business capability
Example
238320 /
Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
/ Commercial painting, interior only; wallpaper hanging, texture applicationPrimary:
7. / Personal contribution: MBE/WBE eligibility requires a real and substantialpersonal contribution of capital, tangible personal assets or expertise by the minority or woman owner(s) to acquire or start-up a business. In the table below, include the dollar amount invested and/or the dollar value of equipment contributed by the majority owner(s) to start or buy this business. Attach a separate page to explain, if necessary. Include copies of proof of personal contribution (cancelled check, personal bank statement, CD).
Name/position / Money / Equipment / Other-explain
$ / $ / $
$ / $ / $
$ / $ / $
8. / Do you own office space equipment, field equipment, or vehicles used in the business? Yes No
If “yes,” please include copy of equipment list and estimated value.
9. / Where is equipment stored?
10. / Do you lease office equipment, field equipment, or vehicles used in the business? Yes No
If “yes,” please include copy of signed lease agreements.
11. / Does your business share any resources (employees/personnel, office space or facilities, equipment, storage space, financing) with any other business or individual: Yes No
If “yes,” identify company and the resources shared and explain:
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