The National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC) has led the way for women business owners to obtain WBE Certification.
Created in 1995, NWBOC was established to increase competition for corporate and government contracts through implementation
of a national certification program for women business owners. The development of our national Woman Business Enterprise (WBE)
certification program, sponsored by IBM, involved cooperation and input from over 700 public and private sector individuals.
The result was the creation of the WBE Application, the process, and the NWBOC Standards and Procedures.
NWBOC was created in response to needs identified by the Procurement Special Interest Group of the National Association of Women
Business Owners (NAWBO.) The investigation revealed that to a large degree corporate America and government agencies had not received,
nor recognized, the benefits of contracting with women suppliers. Only a small fraction of corporate and government contracts were
with women-owned firms. This mindset prevented purchasers from obtaining the best value in their procurements, and it limited women
business owners from penetrating these markets, which has stymied their business growth. Research has shown that after developing
supplier partnerships with women-owned firms, many companies and government agencies have enhanced their bottom line for their
shareholders, and taxpayers, respectively.
NWBOC: The legacy continues
From the beginning, and continuing today, NWBOC seeks to provide corporations with the ability to improve their procurement
practices and more women suppliers with the opportunity to compete.
NWBOC Helps You Promote Your Business
NWBOC helps you promote your business in several ways. Once you are WBE certified with NWBOC, you are automatically listed in or have
access to the following promotional tools, all FREE:
- Complimentary Platinum Level Vendor listing in NWBOC's interactive eProcurement MarketPlace (Value $300)
- Complimentary listing in NWBOC's internal procurement database of WBE-certified companies;
- Procurement list of over 1,000 private and public sector purchasing contacts;
- The NWBOC Quarterly Newsletter, in which your "good news" story can be highlighted;
- The NWBOC logo and WBE Certification designation so that you can add it to your marketing materials and website.
- WBE Certification is a tool you use for new business opportunities, to help set your company apart in the marketplace,
and to add credibility.
NWBOC: Trust in the Application Review Process
NWBOC is highly regarded for providing professional and consistent review of WBE applications.
NWBOC has enlisted only the highest qualified, independent individuals to serve on our Review Committees across the nation
to assess your application and to make site visits to your place of business. Committee members include current and former
business owners, CPAs, bankers, and business consultants. We have been fully vetted by corporations as well as government
entities that accept our certification. The buyers and procurement officers have told us that they appreciate our diligence.
The women business owners have told us that they also appreciate our thoroughness, but in addition they trust us to keep their
company information and application documents secure and private. Since NWBOC operates independently, your private company
information is never stored in the file cabinet of a government employee.
