Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the premiere private sector certification that gives women-owned businesses an advantage in the corporate bidding arena.

This certification program was created to meet the need for a national standard of certification for businesses owned, managed and controlled by women who want to market their products and services in America’s major markets. The WBENC certification administered through Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV) for women business enterprises is the leading national third-party certification for women business owners. Accepted by thousands of corporations throughout the country and a number of federal government agencies, your WBENC certification will be an important marketing tool for expanding your company’s visibility among decision makers in the corporate procurement arena.

Once you are certified, you become a member of the WBEC ORV community, a network of corporations committed to inclusion and a sisterhood of WBEs committed to supporting the broader WBE community.

Additional Benefits:

• Access to supplier inclusion and procurement executives at hundreds of major U.S. corporations and government entities that accept WBENC certification.
• Business profile in WBENCLink 2.0, WBENC’s national internet database of 20,000+ certified women business enterprises, which is accessible by WBENC’s corporate members and other certified WBEs across the country.
• Formal and informal opportunities to pursue business deals with national corporate members and/or WBENC-Certified WBEs.
• Opportunities to partner with other WBENC-Certified WBEs to pursue other business opportunities.
• Access to various educational and capacity building programs and workshops.
• Use of the WBENC Certified WBE logo on your marketing materials.
• Invitations to regional & national matchmaking events, trade shows, WBE forums, webinars and training.
• Eligibility to exhibit at national and regional business expos.
• Representation of women business issues in key forums.
• Qualified certified WBEs are eligible for Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification recognized by the federal government.
• Participation on committees that help to build relationships with other WBEs and corporate members.

Eligibility:

• Ownership: At least 51% of the business must be owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or legal residents.
• Operation and Management: The female owners or another female must be involved in the day-to-day management and operations of the business.
• Control: The female owner(s) must have unrestricted control of the business.

Documentation: You will need to gather various documents to support your application, including tax returns, business licenses, legal documents, and other relevant business documents.

The processing fees are based on the gross revenue amount submitted on your application and listed on your company’s federal tax return and are paid annually at the time of renewal. The fee includes your annual membership fee, which offers you discounts on events. This is a non-refundable processing fee.

$350: 0-$999K

$500: $1M-$4.9M

$750: $5M-$9.9M

$1,000: $10M-$49.9M

$1,250: $$50M+

Please note that this fee does not guarantee certification and will not be refunded should you be denied or choose to withdraw. This fee pays for staff time in processing your application and guarantees a fair review.

Checks, money orders and credit cards are acceptable forms of payment. Please make check or money order payable to Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley and send all documentation to the following address:

Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley

5325 Deerfield Blvd., Cincinnati, OH 45040

Timeline

• Apply early! Applications are processed in the order received and intake is completed. The processing time is generally 90 days for all applicants.

Document Reminders

• Balance Sheets are mandatory for all applicants.
• If there is a change in ownership you need to supply the purchase agreement(s) and any financing for the transfer of ownership along with updated legal documents.*

Taxes

• Provide the current federal taxes for the business including all schedules for review.

Responding to Q&As

• Check WBENCLink2.0 for pending Q&As, and provide the requested document(s) to keep your application moving forward.
• With the changes the SBA has made regarding the WOSB Certification, WBENC is auditing the records to ensure we maintain compliance with the SBA and the WBENC Guidelines.
• Corporations – review your legal documents regarding shareholder and BOD meetings and that your stock transfer ledger is up to date.
• LLCs - all are required to have an operating agreement for the WOSB Certification.
• Whitelist wbenclink@wbenclink.org to receive notifications from the system.

*Site visits are required for all new applicants, and every 3 years for renewal applicants or if there is a change in ownership.

It is important to keep your WBENC certification current to avoid missing business opportunities.

To remain a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE), annual re-certification is a requirement. This will ensure continuity of your certified status. A site visit to your business will be conducted every three years as part of the re-certification process.

The application must be completed through the WBENCLink 2.0 portal along with the re-certification documents, affidavit, and the appropriate processing fee based on your gross receipts. You can submit your recertification application 120 days prior to your expiration date.

The SBA’s WOSB Federal Contract Program provides greater access to federal contracting opportunities for WOSBs and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs). The Program allows contracting officers to set aside specific contracts for certified WOSBs and EDWOSBs and will help federal agencies achieve the existing statutory goal of five percent of federal contracting dollars being awarded to WOSBs. As a third-party certifier of the SBA’s WOSB Federal Contract Program, WBENC provides its world-class certification of WOSBs to government agencies.

Application for WOSB certification can be submitted with a new application or a recertification application. Any WBENC-certified WBE can apply for WOSB certification during recertification; and any woman owned-business which applies for WBENC certification, may also simultaneously apply for WOSB certification. WOSB certification cannot be processed if company is 150 days or more from their WBE certification expiration without completing the WBE recertification process.