Supplier Diversity Program Certification
Certification Overview
The Supplier Diversity Program certifies Small Business Enterprise and Minority Business Enterprise (S/MBE) companies. Certification opens valuable avenues towards economic growth by helping companies build revenue and find potential new customers through set-asides and inclusion in an online directory used by state and private industry to identify vendors.
To be eligible for this FREE certification, businesses must be CT-based, independently run, and registered as small with the Federal System of Award Management (SAM). MBEs include businesses owned by members of racial or ethnic minorities, women, and persons with disabilities as defined in statute C.G.S. 32-9n.
The Procurement Division’s Business Outreach Team manages the program, working to make a difference for Connecticut’s small and minority-owned companies. The team:
- Certifies Small Business Enterprise and Minority Business Enterprise companies
- Recruits eligible businesses to participate in the certification program through statewide outreach, including virtual and onsite trainings and events
- Provides 1:1 assistance to companies during the certification process
- Introduces businesses to the federal registration system
- Assists certified S/MBEs to identify procurement opportunities in state government
- Measures S/MBE spending by state agencies
All companies certified with the Supplier Diversity Program are listed in the S/MBE Directory.
