Get Certified

If you are a small or diverse business, we highly recommend getting certified as such to get more visibility to UCSB departments. There are several agencies where you can get certified free of charge. Read below about how to become certified through a given agency. View a more comprehensive list of Available Certifications in California and agencies by state.

After you've become certified, we encourage you to fill out the Small and Diverse Supplier Information Form at the bottom of this page. 

Certification Categories

UCSB accepts US government issued certifications in the following categories, depending on the funding source:

  • Small Business
  • Small Disadvantaged Business
  • Woman Owned Business
  • Veteran Owned Business
  • Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business
  • LGBTQ Owned Business
  • Minority Owned Business
  • 8 (a) Business Development
  • HUBZone

Certification Agencies

Website: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

Eligibility Requirement and Benefits: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/basic-requirements#section-header-8

Available Certifications:

  • Small Business
  • Small Disadvantaged Business
  • Woman Owned Small Business
  • Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Business
  • 8 (a) Business Development
  • HUBZone
  • Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Instructions: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/basic-requirements and https://certify.sba.gov/

Note: Please make sure you do not choose private registration, which means that other entities cannot find you in the system and confirm your certified status.

Eligibility Requirement and Benefits: https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx

Available Certifications:

  • Small Business
  • Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise

Instructions: Visit the Cal eProcure site.

  1. Read the eligibility requirements for the Small Business and DVBE certifications
  2. Be prepared to add Keywords and UNSPSCs in the application
  3. Be prepared to upload the following documents (other documents may be required based on your business structure):
  • Complete Federal Tax returns (last 3 years or the number of years the firm has been in business, if less than three) for applicant firm and affiliate(s) which includes all pages, forms, schedules and statements.
  • IRS verification of your business’s TIN (tax identification number)
  • Quarterly Contribution Return & Report of Wages – Continuation (Form DE 9C) for business and affiliates for the four most recently completed quarters, if the firm has employees
  • Award of Entitlement, eBenefits Service/Benefit Verification, or Retired/Retainer letter (DVBE only)

Eligibility Requirement and Benefits:  https://thesupplierclearinghouse.com and https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/about-cpuc/divisions/news-and-public-information-office/business-and-community-outreach/supplier-diversity-program/certification

Available Certifications:

  • Women-owned
  • Minority-owned
  • LGBT-owned
  • Persons with Disabilities-owned

Eligibility Requirement and Benefits: https://veterans.certify.sba.gov

Available Certifications:

  • Veteran Owned Small Business