To streamline your certification process, you can submit your application and supporting documents online to the certifying agency. This simplifies the process and reduces the time needed to complete and mail physical documents.

As part of the application process, you will be required to answer questions and provide documentation that is considered private and confidential. For this reason, you must use a user account to log into the system. Access to your application is strictly limited to the person who creates the application (you), any specific company staff you authorize (always create new accounts for other employees—do not share accounts), and certification/support staff you explicitly authorize.

The application system is secure. All communications between you and the system are encrypted, your company information is stored on computer servers in a secure facility, and all confidential data is encrypted at all times.

• Apply through the agency’s certification portal. 
• Research available certification types (e.g., Small Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise).
• Search for local bid opportunities and attend agency outreach events to prepare.

Before beginning the certification application process, you must first access the Online Certification Application System.

For instructions on logging in, recovering account credentials, locating existing accounts, requesting user access, or creating a new account, read Accessing the Online Certification Application System.

Once you have successfully accessed the system, return to this article to continue the certification application process.

Start the Application

After logging in, you will be directed to the application landing page. This page provides important guidance to help you begin the process correctly.

Review the information provided and follow the system’s guided decision tree, which helps determine the correct application based on your business status, location and eligibility. 

• Read all instructions presented on the page before making a selection.
• Follow the prompts carefully to identify the correct application path.

To begin, select the option that applies to your firm:

• Your firm is currently certified.
• Your firm is not currently certified.

If your firm is not currently certified, the system may ask additional questions to determine the correct application type. For example, you may be asked whether your firm has a physical presence, such as an office, in the organization’s market area.

Depending on your responses, the system may guide you to one of the following paths:

• Continue with a standard certification application.
• Submit a streamlined reciprocal application if your firm is certified by a qualifying agency in your area.
• Submit a Declaration of Eligibility form, if required.

Read each option carefully before making a selection. Choosing the wrong application path may result in delays, require you to restart the process, or prevent access to the correct form.

If the system cannot access your certification record, or if the selected path does not match your firm’s profile, a STOP message may appear. This message may indicate that the incorrect application type was selected, there may be multiple vendor profiles for your company, or you may not be logged in to the appropriate vendor account.

If a STOP message appears, follow the instructions provided on the page. You may need to return to the start of the selection process, confirm that you are logged in under the correct vendor account, or contact Customer Support for assistance.

NOTE: If you are unsure which application to submit, contact the organization before starting the process. Submitting the incorrect application form may result in processing delays or denial.

Company & Contact Information

To create an application, you will need to select a company type and application auto-fill option. The company type is used to customize the questions and documents on the application form. The auto-fill option provides the opportunity to use another application to fill in the questions on the form, saving time and effort in completing the process.

Eligibility Requirements

At the bottom of the application start page is a list of eligibility requirements. Review each item carefully and select either Yes or No. Click Continue when ready to proceed. If any of the answers are incorrect, you will be prevented from continuing. Consider carefully the explanation noted. You can return to the list and resubmit, but if your firm and its ownership are not qualified for certification, it will be denied.

Document List Preview

Before starting the application, review the access and timeline information displayed on the page.

To begin, check the box confirming that you are ready to start the application process, then select Continue.

Once the application is created, only the user who starts the application will initially have access to it. For security reasons, no one else can access the application unless you reassign it to another user or explicitly grant access. To allow another authorized user to help complete the application, use the Utilities tab to add the user to the Access List. Read Granting Temporary User Access to a Certification Application.

You will have 90 days to complete and submit the application. If the application is not submitted within that timeframe, the record will be automatically deleted. Periodic email reminders will be sent before the deadline.

A deleted application cannot be recovered. If the application is deleted, you will need to start the process again.

Select Continue to proceed, or select Return to go back without starting the application.

Answering Questions

The application questions are grouped into sections. You can complete the sections in any order, and the questions in each section can be answered in any order. Click Save Draft  frequently while filling out the form to ensure that your information is saved permitting you to return to the application in the future for convenience or if you are timed out of the system. Questions are based on your company type (structure). 

Answer all questions as completely as possible and that are applicable to your business.  Questions highlighted in red are Required & incomplete and must be answered. Questions highlighted in yellow are Optional & incomplete and should be answered if applicable to your firm. Questions highlighted in green are Complete. When all sections and the document list are complete, the entire application is completed and can be signed and submitted. 

Some questions are formatted as a table to permit multiple lines to be entered. Fill in the fields for a line and click the To add more lines, save page link to save the data and add more blank lines to the table. To remove a line, delete the data from all fields and save.

Once the section is complete, click Save & Return to Summary.

Security

The application system is secure. All communications between you and the system are encrypted, your company information is stored on computer servers in a secure facility, and confidential data is encrypted at all times. Access to your application is strictly limited to the person that creates the application (you), any other specific company staff you authorize (always create new accounts for other employees, do not share accounts), and certification/support staff that you specifically authorize.

Seeking Assistance

During the application process, you may require assistance. To contact Customer Support, select the question mark (?) at the top of the page or the Customer Support link at the bottom of any page. Type the issue and click Submit. Your query will be routed to the appropriate staff use for response. The more detailed your submission, the faster the support team will be able to determine a resolution and respond to your query.

Supporting Documents

Your application requires submission of certain documents. The documents required are based upon your company type and can be submitted in electronic or hardcopy.

Please note that as a condition of your application for certification, you are required to maintain in your office the original documents provided. The agency will review these original documents, including the signed and notarized certification affidavit, during the site visit, if applicable. Furthermore, the agency reserves the right to inspect in person and/or request original documents by mail of any supporting document at any time during the term of certification.

When you first view the document list, you will be required to select electronic or hardcopy format. All documents must be submitted in the same format. If you decide that you would prefer to use the other format after making an initial selection, you can clear the list at any time and repeat the process.

Mandatory Documents vs Required Documents

The documents listed are split into two sections. All documents must be attached or marked as Not Applicable to complete the application.

1. Mandatory Documents must be provided with your application. There are no exceptions and failure to provide all of these documents will result in an immediate delay in the processing of your application.

2. Required Documents must be provided if applicable to your firm. Review the document type and included notes to determine the relevance of the document. If the staff reviewer determines that a document not provided is needed, they will contact you to obtain the file, resulting in a delay in the processing of your application. If a document is not applicable to your firm, you must mark it Not Applicable.

Attaching Electronic Documents

To attach an electronic file, click the Attach link. In the pop-up window (you may need to allow pop-ups in your browser), click Browse to locate the file you want to upload. Then click Attach File to add it to your application.

For larger files, the upload process may take several minutes. You can upload multiple files for a single document type if needed. Once the file appears in the list, you can close the window.

If the document is not displayed or the status has not updated, select Refresh on the document list to update the page.

Acknowledging Hardcopy Documents

If you choose to provide your documentation in hardcopy format, you must still acknowledge the documents. Click the checkbox next to each file you will be providing and click Acknowledge. When you are ready to submit the application, a cover page and document list will be provided for your package.

File Limitations of Electronic Documents

The types of files you can attach are restricted to maintain system security. We recommend using common file formats such as PDF, DOC, XLS, and JPG. Other file types may not be easily readable by staff and may delay the review of your application.

To attach a file, select Choose Files or drag the file into the Drop Files Here area. After selecting the file, review or edit any details as needed, then select Upload File(s). The files will be uploaded to the system and associated with the selected document type. Once the page refreshes, you will be able to view the attached files.

Any files over 100 MB will be rejected by the system. Large files may also be difficult for staff to open, read, or print. If your electronic files exceed the file size limit, rescan them at a lower resolution or compress the file before uploading.

Select Cancel to close the upload window without attaching a file.

Signing the Application

Once all required sections and the document list are complete, you will be able to access the Signature tab.

In the Electronic Signature section, type your full legal name in the Signature field. This serves as your electronic signature for the application.

Enter your title in the Your Title field.

Review the Your Organization and Today’s Date fields to confirm they are correct. These fields may already be populated by the system.

Read the certification statement carefully. By checking the confirmation box, you are attesting that the information contained in the application and any electronically attached documents is accurate and correctly represents the business, its owners, and its management.

After confirming the information, select Sign Application to electronically sign the application. The button label may include the application type, such as Sign Application.

Select Cancel if you do not want to sign the application at this time.

After signing, you will be redirected to the application submission page.

NOTE: If you need to make a change to your application after signing but before submitting, return to the Signature tab and select Clear Signature.

Submitting the Application

After signing the application, you will be directed to the submission page.

Before submitting, review the page carefully. Once the application is submitted, it cannot be edited.

If you are ready to submit, check the acknowledgment box. By checking this box, you acknowledge, individually and on behalf of the applicant business, the policies, rules, and requirements of the program.

Select Submit Application to send your application to the agency. The button label may include the application type, such as Submit Application.

After submission, the page will refresh and display final information based on your document format choice.

NOTE: Once submitted, you cannot edit or recall your application.

For Hardcopy Documents

Because you chose to submit your supporting documents in hardcopy format, there is an additional step required.

Use the links displayed in the Required Actions section to download and print final documentation. The Supporting Document List link will provide a printable checklist that you can use to ensure that all documents are provided.

Order the documents according to the list, place the printed Supporting Document List on top, then the Cover Page on the top of the packet. Seal the documents in a secure envelope. Send or drop off the package at the address listed at the bottom of the cover page.

Your application will not be reviewed until all documents are received. A weekly reminder will be sent until you provide the documents.

For Electronic Documents

There is nothing further to do. Your application will be received by staff and processed. Click BUTTON to view the full application to print or convert to PDF for saving.

Returned Applications

If you have not provided key information on the application, the organization may not consider it to be a valid submission. In this case, the organization might “return” the application to you for further review and resubmission. You will receive an email alert if this happens along with a reason for the action. Follow the instructions provided to resubmit.

Ineligible Applications

If your firm does not meet the basic eligibility criteria for certification but you still submit and application, the organization may mark your application as ”ineligible” and apply a penalty time period during which you cannot reapply. In this circumstance, you will receive an email alert along with a reason. No further action can be taken on the application, although you may contact the organization for further explanation and clarification.

Unresponsive Applications

If you choose to submit the supporting documentation in hardcopy format, you are required to provide the files within a certain time period during which you cannot reapply. In this circumstance, you will receive an email alert along with a reason. No further action can be taken on the application.

What is the status of my application?

Throughout the process, you will receive notifications when status changes. This status can also be viewed on the application in the system. At the conclusion of the application review, you will receive a letter noting the final decision.

If you still require additional assistance, select Submit a Request to create a support ticket.