What is WOSB certification?
WOSB certification is SBA's program status for eligible woman-owned small businesses seeking federal set-aside contracts. A firm generally must be a small business at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, then apply through MySBA Certifications before competing for WOSB or EDWOSB set-asides.
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Full name: Woman-Owned Small Business Certification
Short explanation
The Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract program limits competition for certain federal contracts to participating woman-owned small businesses, and in some industries to economically disadvantaged woman-owned small businesses. SBA rules focus on ownership, control, citizenship, size status, and industry eligibility. The certification is a procurement eligibility status, not a general quality label for a company or its services.
Related use case: Federal set-aside certification directory
How it’s used
- SBA set-asides: WOSB status lets eligible firms compete for contracts reserved for women-owned small businesses in industries where WOSBs are underrepresented.
- SAM.gov and entity screening: contracting teams read WOSB status alongside UEI, CAGE code, exclusion status, and award history before a set-aside award.
- Fonteum treats WOSB as a program-specific eligibility fact and links it to the same resolved entity record used for procurement, exclusion, and integrity data.
Frequently asked questions
- Who qualifies for WOSB certification?
- A firm generally must be a small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, with women managing day-to-day operations and long-term decisions.
- Where do firms apply for WOSB certification?
- Firms apply through MySBA Certifications. SBA also allows certain SBA-approved third-party certifier documentation to be submitted through that process.
- Is WOSB certification the same as EDWOSB?
- No. EDWOSB is the economically disadvantaged subset of the WOSB program and has additional personal net worth, income, and asset tests.
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