What is WOSB certification and how do I qualify?
WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) certification lets women-owned small businesses compete for set-aside federal contracts in industries where women are historically underrepresented. EDWOSB is the more restrictive economically-disadvantaged variant.
The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program lets certified firms compete for federal contracts set aside for women-owned businesses in industries the SBA has designated as underrepresented — currently more than 400 NAICS codes across construction, professional services, manufacturing, and other categories.
To qualify as a WOSB, your business must be a small business by SBA size standards for your primary NAICS code, be at least 51% owned by one or more women who are U.S. citizens, have women manage the day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions, and be certified either by the SBA directly (free) or through an SBA-approved third-party certifier (fee-based, faster). Self-certification was discontinued in October 2020.
EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business) is a subcategory that adds economic tests: the primary female owner must have a personal net worth under $850,000, adjusted gross income under $400,000 (three-year average), and personal assets under $6.5 million. EDWOSB firms can compete for both WOSB set-asides and EDWOSB-specific set-asides.
The federal government has a 5% contracting goal for WOSB firms — about $25 billion in annual contract awards. Sole-source awards are available up to $4.5 million (services) or $7 million (manufacturing) if only one WOSB is available and the contracting officer can determine fair market price. Apply at certify.sba.gov.