Federal Contracting Certifications for Small Businesses

The United States Federal Government is the largest buyer of products and services on the planet! 

This creates a competitive environment where thousands upon thousands of businesses, both large and small, are battling for a chance to sell their products and service into this huge marketplace.  This is where the power of Federal Certifications comes into play and allows greater opportunity and access for the small business community.

This webinar is designed for business owners who are interested in applying for a federal certification, and for those who already have one, but want advice on how to take full advantage of their certification. You’ll learn about each Federal socio-economic certification, how to qualify, the application process, and the pro’s and con’s of each certification. This webinar will also discuss how certifications actually work in federal contracting.

We will also cover the website SAM.GOV and its importance, challenges, and opportunities. The very first step in seeking federal contracts and getting a federal certification is being able to correctly register your business on SAM.GOV. Then once you’re registered on the site, using SAM.GOV’s database to understand which agencies offer sole source and set-aside contracts using specific certifications.

Webinar topics include:

• Doing Business with the Federal Government (Effort vs. Reward)
  • Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
  • Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
  • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
  • Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
  • 8(a) Business Development Program
  • HUBZone
• Sole Source, Set-Aside and Subcontracting Opportunities
• Overview of each federal certification and how to qualify
• The application process and timeline
• SAM.GOV – Where it all starts
  • Using SAM.GOV to find new opportunities and marketing research

Meet your speaker

Thomas Burns,

Procurement Specialist,

Norcal APEX Accelerator

Thomas Burns has over 20 years of experience providing start-ups, micro & small businesses with expert advice and assistance in the areas of government contracting, business planning, marketing and sales support. His background includes providing direct representation to small businesses, writing business plans for 50+ clients, bidding and winning multiple contracts with City, County, State agencies as well as doing business with prime contractors in a variety of industries here in Northern California.

Mr. Burns has personally trained, coached and assisted hundreds of entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners. He has taught webinars, seminars and conducted workshops focusing on building relationships with Prime Contractors, creating winning business plans and marketing to government agencies. Through his personal experience as a business owner, Thomas brings a unique perspective to the small business community.

This no-cost training event is hosted by

Norcal APEX Accelerator

Northern California APEX Accelerator is a government-funded nonprofit formed to help small businesses find, bid on, and win contracts with federal, state, local, and tribal agencies.