California Public Contract Code Section 10508.5 allows the UC to award a Purchase Agreement to a certified small business up to $250,000 without being competitively bid, so long as the UC obtains price quotations from two or more certified small businesses. 

UC policy BUS-43 requires that all non-construction and non-federally funded purchases valued between $10,000 and $250,000 annually (excluding tax, but including shipping) be awarded to a certified Small Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE). For all requisitions within this threshold, departments must attach a screenshot of the supplier certification and select the appropriate SB First dropdown on their Requisition. For more information, review the UCOP Small Business First Website.

For purchases of goods and/or services valued between:

  • $10,000 - $100,000 annually: one (1) quote must be obtained from either a certified Small Businesses or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise.
  • $100,000 - $250,000 annually: at least two (2) quotes must be obtained from certified Small Businesses or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises.

UCSB SB First Quick Reference Guide for Departments (07/2025)
UCSB SB First Waiver (08/2023)
UCSB SB First Waiver Guidance (08/2023)

Searching for Certified Small or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises

When searching for certified small or diverse businesses, the databases below can serve as helpful resources. Cal eProcure is the authoritative source for California SB/DVBE certification; Supplier.IO is a useful aggregator, but listings from SAM.gov and DSBS require additional verification and should not be relied on alone.

  • California suppliers: Must be listed in both Cal eProcure and Supplier.IO. This ensures certification is valid and allows UC to track utilization.
  • Out-of-state suppliers: Listings in Supplier.IO, SAM.gov, or DSBS, may indicate SB/DVBE status, but departments must confirm with the supplier to ensure they are a certified Small Business (SB) and/or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) for SB First compliance.

1. Explorer Professional (supplier.io)

Supplier.IO is a platform UC uses to access supplier diversity data nationwide and run SB/DVBE utilization reports. It includes information about businesses that identify as small or diverse, including those listed in SAM.gov. Note: Supplier.IO may reflect self-reported certifications (particularly from SAM.gov), which UC does not automatically recognize as validated. For non-California suppliers, departments must confirm with the supplier to verify SB/DVBE certification.

2. Cal eProcure (caleprocure.ca.gov)

Cal eProcure is California’s online marketplace portal designed to allow businesses to sell products and/or services to the State. It provides search functionality to identify SB/DVBEs certified by the State of California. For UC SB First compliance, California-based suppliers must be registered in both Cal eProcure and Supplier.IO. UC considers certifications verified through Cal eProcure as valid. Training resources are available on the UCOP webpage.

3. SAM (SAM.gov)

SAM.gov is a U.S. government website for businesses to register to do business with the federal government, search for contract opportunities, and view contract awards. Businesses listed on SAM.gov have self-identified as small or diverse, but UC does not accept these self-certifications as sufficient for SB First compliance. Verification with the supplier or a recognized certifying agency is required. A user account is needed to search entity registrations. Training resources are available on the UCOP webpage.

4. Small Business Search (search.certifications.sba.gov/)

The DSBS is a searchable database maintained by the U.S. Small Business Administration that displays information about small business program participants, including 8(a), HUBZone, and WOSB certifications. While it can provide helpful information, DSBS is not a certifying agency for general small business status. Verification with the supplier or a recognized certifying authority is required for SB First compliance.

Federal Small Business Subcontracting

If you are a department and have a federally funded contract in excess of $900k, you may be required to submit and operate under a Small Business Subcontracting Plan. See the Small Business Subcontracting Plan tab for more details.