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Division of Small Business

Certification


  1. Small Business
  2. Frequently Asked Questions
  3. Certification

Includes questions about certification requirements, eligibility, recertification, set-asides and revocation.

Does your office certify Veteran Owned Businesses?

Yes, we certify Veteran Owned Business Enterprise and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Enterprise. Complete our application to seek certification for diverse and small business certification.

Certification will (a) help increase your firm’s visibility among State agencies and other prospective clients (b) document your firm’s status as a certified MVWBE and (c) enhance your competitive advantage.

The company must be (a) 51 percent owned by minority, Veteran and/or woman or (b) 51 percent managed by minority group, service disable veteran/veteran and/or woman and (c) certified as a MVWBE (or home state equivalent) in home state of business as for profit business.

Minority groups include African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Subcontinent Asian Americans. For further clarification please download a certification application.

No. The certification is free.

Complete the application and submit it to the OSD. The application must be notarized.

Certification can take between four to six weeks. Incomplete applications will delay the process. Submitting certificates from other certifying organizations will expedite the process.

You will receive a certification letter via email, once your business is certified.

No. However, Delaware Code, Title 16 – Health and Safety Disabled and Partially Disabled Persons, Chapter 96, State Use Law mandates set-asides for this population. For more information on types of set-aside contracts, visit Government Support Services set-aside contracts.

Certification expires at the end of three years from original certification date. Please notify OSD of any changes or upgrades in your business.

Yes, however you must complete the application and submit the respective supporting documentation. Currently, OSD recognizes DelDOT-DBE, City of Wilmington, MDOT, PA UCP, Pennsylvania MWBE, WBENC and MSDC. Please contact OSD to inquire about other certifying organizations.

Yes. You are encouraged to certify with OSD because MVWBE certification may provide inroads into other companies as well as provide free marketing.

No. If you want your information to remain confidential to OSD, please include the request with the submission of your application materials.

You can register to receive state bid solicitations. See the tutorial on how to register. We are constantly working on ways to improve communication and in the mean time we strongly encourage you to visit the respective resources.

Tax information is not required for diverse business (OSD) certification; however tax information is required for Small Business Focus (SBF) certification. SBF certifcation is based on a three year average. If you do not have three years of tax information, you can still apply for this certification.

OSD reserves the right to audit firms’ classification as a MVWBE.

If the Office identifies your business as a falsely certified MVWBE, OSD reserves the right to revoke your business certification. Furthermore, your certification can be revoked if the business fails to keep current contact information.
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Dover Office:
99 Kings Highway,
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 739-4271

Wilmington Office:
820 N. French Street,
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-8477

business@delaware.gov

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