Small Business Administration

Whether your business is in the start-up stage or growing, our Business Development team can help your business to be successful for the future. BD assists small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in - 8(a), Government Contracting, becoming a Small Disadvantage Business (SDB), and HUBZone assistance.

What are the basic requirements that an 8(a) applicant must meet?

The applicant firm must be a small business. The Office of Government Contracting determines whether a particular business qualifies as a small business under the existing size standards set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations. See Small Business Size Determination.

Applicant firm must be unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are of good character and citizens of the United States.

How To Register In Central Contractor Register (CCR)

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary vendor database for the U.S. Federal Government. CCR collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions.

Both current and potential federal government vendors are required to register in CCR in order to be awarded contracts by the federal government. Vendors are required to complete a one-time registration to provide basic information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. Vendors must update or renew their registration at least once per year to maintain an active status.

CCR validates the vendor information and electronically shares the secure and encrypted data with the federal agencies' finance offices to facilitate paperless payments through electronic funds transfer (EFT). Additionally, CCR shares the data with federal government procurement and electronic business systems. Please note that any information provided in your registration may be shared with authorized federal government offices. However, registration does not guarantee business with the federal government.

How To Register:

Enter your registration on-line through the World Wide Web (www):

Step 1: For details on the information to gather before you register, see the section, "Information Needed to Register".

Step 2: Access the CCR online registration through the CCR homepage.

Click on "Start New Registration."

You must have a Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) Number in order to begin the registration process.

Step 3: Complete and submit the online registration. If you already have the necessary information on hand, the on-line registration takes approximately 1 hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of your company.

Additional important information for Web users:

When you register via the Web, a temporary confirmation number will be assigned to you so that your application can be saved in the event you are unable to complete it during your initial online session.

It is important that you write down your temporary confirmation number, as you must have it, along with your D-U-N-S Number, to resume your application. Clicking "Validate/Save" will save the incomplete registration.

A list of information you are missing will appear on the "Show Errors" list. Registrations in process are saved for up to 120 days for your convenience. Once your complete registration is submitted, the confirmation number becomes invalid. A Trading Partner Identification Number (TPIN) will replace it when the registration is active.

Applying for 8(a) BD/Small Disadvantaged Business Certification Online

You can apply online for 8(a) BD/SDB Certification at https://sba8a.symplicity.com/applicants/guide. This is the easiest method offering a more efficient, streamlined application.

It's recommended that prior to applying for certification online, that you take SBA's training course on Certification Programs at: http://www.sba.gov/services/training/index.html

For both 8(a) and SDB applications from any location, you may also E-mail questions to 8ABD@sba.gov

Paper Application Forms For 8(a)/Small Disadvantaged Business Certification

If you cannot print out any of the above forms, contact one of the Wisconsin SBA Business Development team members listed below to request the forms by mail.

For SDB Certification, send all forms to:

      U.S. Small Business Administration
      Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Certification & Eligibility
      409 Third Street, S.W., MC 8800, SDB 8th Floor
      Washington, DC 20416

For 8(a) Certification, send all forms to:

      U.S. Small Business Administration
      Division of Program Certification and Eligibility
      455 Market Street, 6th Floor
      San Francisco, CA 94105

Mentor-Protégé Program and Joint Ventures in 8(a)

It is advisable to contact one of the Wisconsin SBA Business Development Staff members (see below) to discuss these program’s requirements, as well as your specific concerns.

Mentor-Protégé Program

This program enhances the capability of 8(a) participants to compete more successfully for federal government contracts with technical and management assistance, prime contracting ventures, financial assistance in the form of equity or loans.

To initially qualify as a Protégé participant, a firm must:
Be in the Developmental Stage of the 8(a) Program; or Have NOT yet received an 8(a) contract; or Have a size that is less than half the Size Standard corresponding to its primary SIC code.

The firm must also be in good standing in the 8(a) Program, i.e. the firm must not have termination or suspension proceedings against it, and is up-to-date with all reporting requirements.

Mentor/Protégé Agreement Template

Joint Venture

If an 8(a) company wants to bid on a project but lacks the necessary capacity to perform the contract, you may want to consider a Joint Venture with another company for the financial resources essential to perform the contract.

Your use of these templates will enable us to provide quicker response times through application standardization and by eliminating our need to reformat your applications prior to approval.

Copy the templates and use them as the basis for your cover letter and agreement. The cover letter template is to be used as verbatim.

Sign the cover letter and agreement and forward to:
Linda Krysiak, Business Development/Contract Specialist
Wisconsin SBA, 310 West Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 400, Milwaukee, WI 53203.

Joint Venture Cover Letter template
Joint Venture Agreement template
Code of Federal Regulations

Contact one of the following Wisconsin SBA personnel for more information:
Linda Krysiak, Business Development Specialist @ (414) 297-1455
Cheryl Jordan, Business Development Specialist @ (414) 297-3951
Cartina Austin, Program Support Assistant @ (414) 297-1489

Frequently Asked Questions

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