Tourism Divisions

Doing Business with VTC

SWAM

The following is information that can assist you in doing business with the Commonwealth of Virginia.

What is the Virginia SWAM Program?

SWAM stands for Small, Women, And Minority-owned businesses.  Becoming certified through the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) gives you certain preferred purchasing status with State Agencies and, if you are eVA registered, your company is listed in eVA along with your certification status.  The corresponding certification is SBE, WBE, or MBE.  The criteria for SBE are not more than 250 employees or not more than $10 million gross receipts averaged over a 3 year period.  The criteria for WBE are at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women.  The criteria for MBE are at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more persons of a Minority race (Minority includes Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-Pacific, and Subcontinent Asian.  It does not include those of European or Middle-Eastern descent.) Individuals must be legal residents in the USA.

Dual Certification

DMBE-Certified Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses are strongly encouraged to become certified as a "Small Business" also.  If you are currently certified by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise ("DMBE") as a Woman- or Minority-owned business, you are strongly encouraged to get additional certification as a Small Business Enterprise.  With the additional Small Business Enterprise certification, you will be eligible to participate in any procurement initiatives for Small Businesses sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia and its agencies. DMBE is offering a new process which allows vendors to quickly become certified as a Small Business.  Once DMBE completes the review process and assigns the additional "Small Business" certification, DMBE will post these second certifications on their website and will distribute them to eVA for posting to the vendor's registration account as part of normal daily processing.

What are the benefits of certification/Dual certification?

The benefits of certification are help and support for small, women, and minority businesses to compete for State contracts with larger and more favored businesses.  New policies and procedures give certain advantages to SWAM certified vendors and even more advantages to those with the added Small Business certification

Does it cost anything to become SWAM certified?  How do I become SWAM Certified?
There are no fees to DMBE for certification in Virginia.  Your only certification cost is getting the application and documentation prepared and to DMBE.  You might have to pay fees to the State Corporation Commission for registration with them.  To learn more and to apply, go to the DMBE webpage located at www.dmbe.state.va.us

When/ why does my SWAM certification expire?

Your certification will expire at the end of three years.  You may renew it for another three years, etc.  The reason for this is to ensure that the database of certified firms is always reasonably current, with actual firms doing real business, with correct contact information, and to assure your business still meets the requirements.