NYC and NY State Minority-Owned, Women-Owned, and combined M/WBE certifications, plus eligibility analysis for federal DBE and 8(a) programs. From document gathering to filing to approval.
What is MBE / WBE certification
MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) and WBE (Women Business Enterprise) certifications are formal designations granted by city, state, or federal agencies confirming that your business meets the ownership and operational criteria to participate in set-aside contract programs. Once certified, you become eligible for:
Direct procurement under the NYC M/WBE Non-Competitive Small Purchase Method (contracts up to $500,000 can be awarded without formal bidding)
M/WBE subcontracting requirements that primes must meet on city projects
Preference points and percentage advantages in evaluated bids
Inclusion in NYC SBS and NYS ESD vendor matching events
The credibility marker that opens doors with chambers of commerce and prime contractors
What we do
We handle the entire certification process from start to filing:
Eligibility analysis. We confirm that your business meets the ownership, operational, and size criteria for the certifications you want, and we identify any structural issues that need to be addressed before filing.
Document checklist. NYC MBE requires roughly 20 supporting documents — tax returns, organizational documents, lease agreements, bank statements, resumes, and more. We send you a precise checklist organized by document type.
Application drafting. The application narrative — describing the business operations, ownership structure, and decision-making authority — is where most self-filers lose points. We draft the narrative based on what the certifying office actually wants to see.
Filing. We submit through NYC PASSPort or NYS portal, attach all supporting documents in the required format, and confirm receipt.
Agency follow-up. If the certifying office asks for additional documentation or clarification, we respond on your behalf within 48 hours.
Renewal calendar. Certifications expire. We set up the renewal calendar so you do not lose your certification because nobody remembered.
Timeline
Document gathering on your side typically takes one to two weeks. Once we have everything, we draft and file within five business days. Then the certifying office takes over: NYC MBE averages four to eight weeks for review, NYS MWBE averages six to ten weeks, federal DBE varies by state. We follow up at appropriate intervals and keep you informed.
What we do not do
We do not guarantee approval. Certification is determined by the certifying office, not by us. We do not provide legal advice if your ownership structure has historical complexities that may require attorney review — in those cases, we refer you to qualified attorneys before filing. We do not pay your agency filing fees (NYC MBE is typically free; federal programs may have nominal fees that are passed through at cost).
Common questions
Most consultants in this market charge $3,000 to $7,500 for the same filing. The work product is the same. Our cost structure is different — AI-assisted drafting plus experienced human review and signoff. We pass the savings to clients because we want to serve more small businesses.
For NYC MBE, yes — the business must have been operational for at least one year. For NYS MWBE, the standard is similar. For federal 8(a), the business must have been operational for at least two years (waivers available in some cases). The audit will tell you exactly where you stand.
No. Certification gives you access. Winning the work still requires that you respond to solicitations, build relationships with contracting officers and primes, and submit competitive bids. We can help with all of that separately. But certification alone is necessary, not sufficient.
NYC and NYS both allow appeals. If your application is denied, we will tell you whether we believe an appeal is worth pursuing and what would need to change. If we believe a clean refiling makes more sense, we discount the refiling at 50 percent.
The first step is always the audit.
Ten minutes. Twelve questions. A personalized PDF showing every certification, grant, and contract category your business qualifies for. Free.