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-owned, And Minority-owned businesses. Becoming certified through the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD) 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 S (Small), W (Women), M (Minority), WS (Women with Small), and MS (Minority with Small). The criteria for S are at least 51% independently owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, and together with affiliates has 250 or fewer employees, or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less over the previous three years. One or more of these individual owners shall control both the management and daily business operations of the small business.
The criteria for W are at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. Citizens or legal resident aliens, or in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest is owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or legal resident aliens, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.
The criteria for M are at least 51% owned by one or more minority individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, or in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more minority individuals who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minority individuals, or any historically black college or university, regardless of the percentage ownership by minority individuals or, in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity. (Minority includes African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, and Native-American.) Individuals must be US citizens or legal resident aliens in the USA.
Dual Certification
If you are currently certified by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD) as a Woman- or Minority-owned business, you are strongly encouraged to get additional certification as a Small Business. With the additional Small Business certification, you will be eligible to participate in any procurement initiatives for Small Businesses sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia and its agencies.
Once DMBE completes the review process and assigns the additional “Small Business” certification, DSBSD 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. 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 DSBSD for certification in Virginia. Your only certification cost is getting the application and documentation prepared and to DSBSD. You might have to pay fees to the State Corporation Commission for registration with them. To learn more and to apply, go to the DSBSD webpage located at www.sbsd.virginia.gov
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.
