WOSB / EDWOSB Eligibility Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the basic eligibility requirements to get the woman-owned small business certified?

How do I get woman-owned small business certified?

To get WOSB or EDWOSB-certified, your company must meet the following requirements:

Primary National American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code in an industry designated by the SBA as underrepresented or substantially underrepresented.

For WOSB Certification:

Women who are U.S. citizens must own at least 51 percent of the company. This must be direct ownership without conditions
Day to day operations must be managed by a woman. Documentation must be provided
Companies must meet small business size standards for primary NAICS code

For EDWOSB Certification:

Must satisfy all conditions for a WOSB, as listed above
The business owner(s) must have an adjusted net worth of less than $750,000 while applying for the EDWOSB Certification
The business owner(s) AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) cannot be more than $350,000 averaged over the last three tax years.
The business owner(s) must have a market value of all assets that does not exceed $6 million (including business value and primary residence).

WOSB Program Benefits

Certain contracts are limited to WOSB-certified businesses
Working to meet the goal of five percent of government contracts going to woman-owned small businesses.

The focus of this benefit is to add woman-owned small businesses to industries where they are underrepresented. The contract requirement in industries designated by the SBA as underrepresented or substantially underrepresented is eligibility for set-asides under this program . Over 300 six digit NAICS codes are eligible.

Certain contracts are allotted for economically disadvantaged woman-owned small businesses (EDWOSB).

Rules for this program includes :

The program only applies to contracts in industries that have been deemed underrepresented by women
Contract dollar limit is $4 million for service contracts and $6.5 million for manufacturing contracts.
The program is for woman-owned small businesses or economically disadvantaged woman-owned small businesses only
Competition is required for WOSB contract awards.

Companies in this program can still compete for contract awards under the socioeconomic programs they qualify for.

How long does the application process take?

A minimum of 1-2 weeks to complete the WOSB or EDWOSB Application. Times can vary depending on complexity.

How long is the certification process once the application is complete?

This time frame can be shorter or longer depending on the degree of complexity of your application, but it typically takes 90-120 days.

What is LIBERTY8a success rate for this application?

LIBERTY8a has a tremendous success rate for our WOSB or EDWOSB Application Completion Service.

What is the fee for the WOSB or EDWOSB Application Completion Service?

$1,800 for the WOSB service and $2,5000 for the EDWOSB service.

What experience do I need to exhibit to show I can run this type of company?

The owner needs to have the managerial and educational experience to show she is capable of running a company.

Client Testimonials

Ravi Vasist - President, EG Management Services, Inc:

“I highly recommend Lindsay Thompson to obtain an SBA approved 8(a) certification, 8(a) annual report, Mentor-protégé agreement and Joint-Venture agreement. EG Management Services Inc. has been working with Lindsay since 2011. She helped us to get a SBA approved 8(a) certification as well as a SBA approved Mentor-protégé agreement and it felt effortless. EGMS would like to thank Lindsay for her hard work that provided the best results possible.”

Stephen Rolston - Principal, Rolston Information Systems Assurance, LLC:

“Working with Lindsay these past few years has been a wonderful experience. She effortlessly walked me through the process to obtain my business’ 8(a) certification and helped me prepare our annual 8(a) report. In both instances she was responsive, well-organized and extremely detail-oriented. I can’t thank her enough for helping my business obtain and maintain our 8(a) certification through the Small Business Administration. I look forward to working with her again in the future to help us fulfill all of our SBA requirements. I trust no one else more than her to get the job done right the first time.”

Hugh A. House Jr - President, Eagle Engineering & Development Land, Inc:

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with Lindsay on several projects over the last few years. She is professional, knowledgeable, and thorough and completed everything ahead of schedule. We have recommended her multiple times to other companies and intend to hire her again for all relevant future projects. We appreciate her help and expertise.”

Founder and CEO, Amivero:

“I have had the pleasure of working with Lindsay on my firm’s 8a application. Lindsay helped navigate me through the process and made sure we submitted a complete and accurate application to SBA. Although my application required a social disadvantaged narrative, as I am a Caucasian woman business owner, Lindsay helped me to prepare a solid narrative and was able to get my firm 8(a) certified. Thank you to LIBERTY8a for your assistance and guidance through this entire process.”