NN APEX Resources
Grow Your Business With Government Contracting Assistance
The Northwest Native APEX Accelerator is a partnership with DoD. And together, we have curated this list of resources to help you stay up to date. Visit with a APEX Accelerator advisor if you need any assistance understanding these resources or responding to solicitations.
The unique entity identifier used in SAM.gov has changed. On April 4, 2022, the unique entity identifier used across the federal government changed from the DUNS Number to the Unique Entity ID (generated by SAM.gov).
- The Unique Entity ID is a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by SAM.gov.
- As part of this transition, the DUNS Number has been removed from SAM.gov.
- Entity registration, searching, and data entry in SAM.gov now require use of the new Unique Entity ID.
- Existing registered entities can find their Unique Entity ID by following the steps here.
- New entities can get their Unique Entity ID at SAM.gov and, if required, complete an entity registration.
Certification Programs
The list below provides links to State and Federal Certification Programs. Check with your tribe, city and county offices for local postings.
Certifying Body – Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID). The primary goal of certification is to level the playing field by providing certified firms a fair opportunity to compete for government contracts regardless of owner ethnicity, gender, disability, or firm size.
State certifications are:
Certifying Body – Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises, OMWBE.
OMWBE offers five types of state certification. Each certification provides the same benefits, with certifications being broken down by the identity of the business owner.
- MBE – Minority Business Enterprise – owned by minorities
- WBE – Women’s Business Enterprise – owned by women
- MWBE – Minority Women Business Enterprise – owned by minority women
- CBE – Combination Business Enterprise – owned by women and minorities
- SEDBE – Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business Enterprise – owned by non-minority men who are found to be socially and economically disadvantaged on a case by case basis.
Idaho does not have state certification; instead, it relies on federal certifications.
The government works to make sure small businesses get at least 23% of all federal contracting dollars. Additionally, the government tries to award a certain percentage of all federal prime contracting dollars to small businesses that meet certain socio-economic conditions.
The SBA is the certifying body.
- Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) – Eligible businesses can self-certify and find opportunities at SAM.gov.
- Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract program – The federal government’s goal is to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year.
- Veteran contracting assistance programs – Learn about federal programs that help veteran-owned small businesses access federal contract awards and surplus personal property.
- Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program.
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program (SDVOSB). You can self-certify your business to the federal government as being owned by a service-disabled veteran. Simply update the socio-economic status section of your business profile at SAM.gov.
- Surplus Personal Property for Veteran-Owned Small Business programs. Veteran-owned small businesses can access federally owned personal property no longer in use through the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program. Contact the SASP.
- 8(a) Business Development program. Federal contracting and training program for experienced small business owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged.
- SBA Mentor-Protégé program. Your small business can learn from an experienced government contractor through SBA’s Mentor-Protégé program.
- Joint ventures. Joint ventures allow certain businesses to compete together for government contracts reserved for small businesses.
- HUBZone program. The HUBZone program fuels small business growth in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year.
Other Federal Agencies with Procurement Programs
Resource List
- Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- DFARS – Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement
- DIBBS – DLA Internet Bid Board System
- DSBS – Dynamic Small Business Search
- eCFR - Electronic CFR's
- FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation)
- FPDS – Federal Procurement Data System
- GSA (General Services Administration) Schedules
- HUBZone Map
- JCP – Joint Certification Program
- EJCP – Joint Certification Program, Enhanced
- NAICS – North American Industry Classification System
- Project Spectrum – Cyber Security
- PSC (Product and Service Code) Manual
- SAM – System for Award Management
- SBIR/STTR – Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Technology Transfer
- SIC – Standard Industrial Classification Search
- Size Standards, SBA Table of
- Subnet
- U.S. Federal Gov't contracting Opportunities
- USA Spending
- Small Business Administration's Contracting Guide
- APEX Accelerator
- National APEX Accelerator Alliance
