The First Steps to Becoming a Certified Woman-Owned Business

The First Steps to Becoming a Certified Woman-Owned Business In 2013, First Commonwealth Bank surveyed local women business owners to identify key challenges and opportunities in their businesses and created the 2013 Economic Status of Women Led Businesses survey. We found that only 33% of respondents are certified by any federal or state women business owner certification programs, which means there is significant opportunity for these local business owners to increase their resources and networks. Every state has their own process and Pennsylvania has several different classifications to choose from. Below are some resources that can help you start your journey on becoming a Certified Woman Owned Business. MWBE Minority & Woman Business Enterprises (http://www.mwbe.com/cert/certification.htm) MISSION Our mission is to better prepare Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBE) to aggressively seek and win Public and Private sector business opportunities. We provide a nationwide Minority and Women Business Development Program which educates, mentors, and leverages the capabilities of these Minority and Women business Enterprises to maximize profitability and sustainability. We are committed to developing mutually beneficial business relationships with minority and women owned businesses that have the capability to meet or exceed client requirements for products and services. Identifying these businesses, providing them opportunities to do business with the alliance companies, and helping them succeed are the essential elements to the overall program success. REQUIREMENTS To become certified as a woman owned business, businesses must show: All prospective members must provide clear and documented evidence that at least 51% or more is women owned, managed, and controlled. The business must be open for at least six months. The business owner must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien. Evidence must indicate that: The contribution of capital and/or expertise by the woman business owner is real and substantial and in proportion to the interest owned. The woman business owner must direct or cause the direction of management, policy, fiscal, and operational matters.

The woman business owner shall have the ability to perform in the area of specialty or expertise without reliance on either the finances or resources of a firm that is not owned by a woman. Certification is done at the local or regional level. The Women's Business Council does charge a nonrefundable application fee. Certification must be renewed each year along with payment of annual fee. To find the certifying agency nearest to your location, click here. Certification application forms can be obtained from these agencies Women s Business Enterprise National Council (http://www.wbenc.org/certification/certification Process/) WHY WBENC? The WBENC certification for women owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation. Accepted by hundreds of corporations within the country and a number of federal, state, and local government agencies, WBENC certification is an important marketing tool for expanding a company's visibility among decision makers in corporate supply chain diversity and procurement organizations. WBENC is also an approved Third Party Certifier for the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program. BENEFITS Access to a current list of supplier diversity and procurement executives at hundreds of major U.S. corporations and federal, state and local government entities that accept WBENC certification. WBENC is also an approved Third Party Certifier for the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program. National recognition of WBENC Certified WBEs by thousands of major U.S. corporations and federal, state and local government entities. Formal and informal opportunities to pursue business deals with National Corporate Members and/or WBENC Certified WBEs: WBENC's National Conference & Business Fair. Eligibility to participate in face to face MatchMaking Sessions. Eligibility to exhibit at WBENC's annual National Conference & Business Fair. Informal networking and targeted marketing. Summit & Salute to Women's Business Enterprises. Informal networking and targeted marketing. Automatic inclusion in WBENCLink, WBENC's Internet database of certified WBEs, which is accessible by WBENC's Corporate Members and other certified WBEs across the country. Opportunities to partner with other WBENC Certified WBEs to pursue other business opportunities. REQUIREMENTS Applicant company must be at least fifty one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents,or in the case of any publicly owned business, at least fifty one percent (51%) of the equity of which is owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; and Whose management and daily operation is controlled by one or more women or women owners.

WBENC uses a two part process to ensure that the applicant company meets the WBENC Standards. This will include a thorough review of the documentation presented and a site visit interview with the female owner(s). Click here for a copy of the Standards and Procedures used to determine certification (recommended reading). U.S. Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov/content/women owned small businessprogram) MISSION The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible, a firm must be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be small in its primary industry in accordance with SBA s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed economically disadvantaged, its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final rule. PITTBURGH DISTRICT CONTACT INFORMATION Pittsburgh District Office 411 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1450 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Marisa.fenzel@sba.gov PA Department of General Services, The Bureau of Small Business Opportunities (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/bureau_of_small_business_opportunities/ 1358) ABOUT THE BSBO The Bureau of Small Business Opportunities (BSBO) is a Bureau within the Department of General Services with the responsibility to assist small businesses and small diverse businesses, including minority business enterprises, women business enterprises, veteran business enterprises, and servicedisabled veteran business enterprises, in competing for Commonwealth contracting opportunities. As of August 31, 2012, BSBO will no longer accept applications for certification as a Small Diverse Business. After August 31, 2012 and in lieu of issuing DGS certifications, the bureau, through the new Verification Program, will instead verify certifications from third party entities including: The Unified Certification Program (UCP); The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC); The

Women s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC); The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(A) Business Development Program; and the Vetbiz VIP Verification Program (Vetbiz.gov). The first step in verifying your company as a Small Diverse Business is to self certify as a small business through the Small Business Procurement Initiative (SBPI). Click here to complete the first step in the verification process. CONTACT INFORMATION Oz Anderson Construction Liaison PA Dept. of General Services, Bureau of Small Business Opportunities oanderson@state.pa.us US Department of Transportation: Disadvantaged Business Enterprises http://www.dot.gov/osdbu/disadvantaged business enterprise/dbe uniform certification program ucp OVERVIEW The U.S. Department of Transportation's DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) program provides a vehicle for increasing the participation by MBEs in state and local procurement. DOT DBE regulations require state and local transportation agencies that receive DOT financial assistance, to establish goals for the participation of DBEs. Each DOT assisted State and local transportation agency is required to establish annual DBE goals, and review the scopes of anticipated large prime contracts throughout the year and establish contract specific DBE subcontracting goals. Along with the OSDBU, the Departmental Office of Civil Rights, and the Office of the General Counsel; there are three major DOT operating administrations are involved in the DBE program. They are the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. In addition to establishing goals, state and local recipients also certify the eligibility of DBE firms to participate in DOT assisted projects. Some groups are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged for the purposes of participation in this program. In 1987 Congress added women to the groups presumed to be disadvantaged. The main objectives of the DBE Program are: To ensure that small disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) can compete fairly for federally funded transportation related projects. To ensure that only eligible firms participate as DBEs. To assist DBE firms in competing outside the DBE Program. There has been, since 1983, a statutory provision requiring DOT to ensure that at least 10% of the funds authorized for the highway and transit financial assistance programs be expended with DBEs. DOT has established a single DBE goal, encompassing both firms owned by women and minority group members. To be certified as a DBE, a firm must be a small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Certifiers make the determinations based upon on site visits, personal interviews, reviews of licenses, stock ownership, equipment, bonding capacity, work completed, resume of principal owners and financial capacity.

SBTRCs work closely with the transportation contracting community and technical assistance providers to serve businesses within their respective regions. Utilizing these partnerships and industry expertise, SBTRCs provide business counseling that includes market research, certification, procurement and technical assistance, amongst others. SBTRCs also administer the U.S. DOT Bonding Education Program (BEP), Short Term Lending Program (STLP) and Women In Transportation Initiative (WITI) (otherwise known as the Women and Girls Program) in their respective regions. The U.S. DOT establishes agreements with chambers of commerce, trade associations, educational institutions and other business organizations to serve as SBTRCs. PA CONTACT Sharon Cannon DBE Supportive Services Executive Director Cheyney University scannon@cheney.edu Jocelyn I Harper Director, Bureau of Equal Opportunity, PA DOT Commonwealth Keystond Building 400 North Street, 5 th Floor Harrisonburg, PA 17120 jocharper@state.pa.us Jeannie M. Daniels DBE Investigator In Charge, PA DOT Office of Chief Council 7000 Geerdes Blvd King of Prussia, PA 19406 jdaniels@pa.gov PA Unified Certification Program (http://www.paucp.com/) About PAUCP The purpose of the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program (PA UCP) is to provide one stop shopping for firms seeking certification as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in accordance with 49 CFR Part 26 and as an Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) in accordance with 49 CFR Part 23. The PA UCP makes all certification decisions on behalf of all agencies and organizations in the Commonwealth with respect to participation in the DBE and ACDBE Programs. In other words, firms certified as a DBE or ACDBE with the PA UCP are eligible to participate on any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funded contract as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise or Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. LOCAL CONTACTS Allegheny County Department of MBE/WBE/DBE 204 County Office Building

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Email: mwdbe@county.allegheny.pa.us PA Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) P.O. Box 3251 Harrisburg, PA 17105 3251 Email: egreene@portauthority.org For more information about Women First, please visit fcbanking.com/womenfirst or email womenfirst@fcbanking.com.