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Business Certifications

 Certifications can play a pivotal role in developing new opportunities for business. The entities below can help businesses understand and acquire these certifications, as well as find business opportunities related to them.

Nevada Government eMarketplace (NGEM)

Nevada Government eMarketplace (NGEM)
NGEM allows contractors and suppliers to register in one central location to receive requests for bids or proposals from all participating entities, free of charge. We expect additional entities to join NGEM in the future, further increasing the value to suppliers.

In addition to centralized registration, NGEM allows for online publishing of solicitations by the participating entities, and online submission of bids or proposals by offerors. This is a first in Nevada public contracting, and we believe our suppliers and contractors will be as pleased as we are with the time and materials savings, increased efficiency, electronic record keeping and more.

NGEM is administered by staff from all participating government entities, and does not have its own offices or budget.

Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE)

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Harry Reid International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Harry Reid International Airport
Nevada Business Advisors
Nevada Business Advisors is a Nevada based business advisory firm helping businesses through the certification process by identifying what certifications you could potentially qualify for and assisting with the application requirements.

As a business owner, understanding the process and the benefits of business certification may assist with increasing sales and revenue for your company. One of the key benefits of certification is providing an edge to your business when seeking contracts. For example, many corporations and municipalities have a specific number of contracts, either in dollars or percentages (known as set asides) that must be awarded to certified firms. Being a certified company is the only way to gain access to these contracts that are exclusively available to certified firms and can also limit competition. Certification can offer intangible benefits from resources and mentorship programs, to workshops, seminars and national conferences.
Nevada Business Advisors can assist through this process.
Nevada Small Business Development Center
The Nevada Small Business Development Center can assist women, minority and disadvantaged businesses understand the certification process and help them become certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). Becoming certified is free. Also, individual confidential counseling is available.
Nevada Unified Certification Program (NUCP) - Nevada Department of Transportation
The Nevada Unified Certification Program (NUCP) is a collaborative effort among several Nevada regional transportation agencies to help small businesses apply for and receive Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) certification. Operated by the Nevada Department of Transportation, McCarran International Airport, Reno/Tahoe Airport Authority, Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the Regional Transportation Commissions in Clark and Washoe Counties, the NUCP promotes equal contracting opportunities in construction, professional services, and airport concessions.
The Paragon Group
The Paragon Group is a boutique business development firm bridging the gap for small, minority, and women-owned businesses as well as private and public sector entities.
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County
Reno-Tahoe International Airport
U.S. Department of Transportation

Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Resources
The Paragon Group
The Paragon Group is a boutique business development firm bridging the gap for small, minority, and women-owned businesses as well as private and public sector entities.

Emerging Small Business (ESB)

Nevada Business Advisors
Nevada Business Advisors is a Nevada based business advisory firm helping businesses through the certification process by identifying what certifications you could potentially qualify for and assisting with the application requirements.

As a business owner, understanding the process and the benefits of business certification may assist with increasing sales and revenue for your company. One of the key benefits of certification is providing an edge to your business when seeking contracts. For example, many corporations and municipalities have a specific number of contracts, either in dollars or percentages (known as set asides) that must be awarded to certified firms. Being a certified company is the only way to gain access to these contracts that are exclusively available to certified firms and can also limit competition. Certification can offer intangible benefits from resources and mentorship programs, to workshops, seminars and national conferences.
Nevada Business Advisors can assist through this process.
Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development
Administered by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the ESB Program was created to encourage the development and growth of small businesses in Nevada. The program seeks to assist small businesses in obtaining work with state and local government agencies. The government contracting marketplace is increasingly competitive - small business certifications such as the ESB program provide local Nevada small businesses with an opportunity to highlight their capabilities and set themselves apart from their competition. ESB certification is available to all business types and industries. ESB certification, when used as a marketing tool, can generate additional opportunities to bid for business at the state and local levels. 

Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone)

U.S. Small Business Administration HUBZone

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

National Minority Supplier Development Council
Nevada Business Advisors
Nevada Business Advisors is a Nevada based business advisory firm helping businesses through the certification process by identifying what certifications you could potentially qualify for and assisting with the application requirements.

As a business owner, understanding the process and the benefits of business certification may assist with increasing sales and revenue for your company. One of the key benefits of certification is providing an edge to your business when seeking contracts. For example, many corporations and municipalities have a specific number of contracts, either in dollars or percentages (known as set asides) that must be awarded to certified firms. Being a certified company is the only way to gain access to these contracts that are exclusively available to certified firms and can also limit competition. Certification can offer intangible benefits from resources and mentorship programs, to workshops, seminars and national conferences.
Nevada Business Advisors can assist through this process.
The Paragon Group
The Paragon Group is a boutique business development firm bridging the gap for small, minority, and women-owned businesses as well as private and public sector entities.
Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council
The WRMSDC provides a nationally recognized ethnic minority business enterprise (MBE) certification program that helps position minority owned businesses for business opportunities with government and the private sector.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

U.S. Small Business Administration (SDVOSB)

Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

Nevada Business Advisors
Nevada Business Advisors is a Nevada based business advisory firm helping businesses through the certification process by identifying what certifications you could potentially qualify for and assisting with the application requirements.

As a business owner, understanding the process and the benefits of business certification may assist with increasing sales and revenue for your company. One of the key benefits of certification is providing an edge to your business when seeking contracts. For example, many corporations and municipalities have a specific number of contracts, either in dollars or percentages (known as set asides) that must be awarded to certified firms. Being a certified company is the only way to gain access to these contracts that are exclusively available to certified firms and can also limit competition. Certification can offer intangible benefits from resources and mentorship programs, to workshops, seminars and national conferences.
Nevada Business Advisors can assist through this process.
U.S. Small Business Administration - Small Business Certification Form

Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

Women's Business Enterprises (WBE)

National Women's Business Council
Businesses have two options to qualify as a women-owned small business (WOSB) or economically-disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) under the WOSB Federal Contract Program (WOSB Program). Businesses may self-certify or obtain a certification from one of the four third party certifiers approved by SBA. Please be advised that one is not advantageous over the other. A self-certification is free and a third party certification has a fee.
Nevada Business Advisors
Nevada Business Advisors is a Nevada based business advisory firm helping businesses through the certification process by identifying what certifications you could potentially qualify for and assisting with the application requirements.

As a business owner, understanding the process and the benefits of business certification may assist with increasing sales and revenue for your company. One of the key benefits of certification is providing an edge to your business when seeking contracts. For example, many corporations and municipalities have a specific number of contracts, either in dollars or percentages (known as set asides) that must be awarded to certified firms. Being a certified company is the only way to gain access to these contracts that are exclusively available to certified firms and can also limit competition. Certification can offer intangible benefits from resources and mentorship programs, to workshops, seminars and national conferences.
Nevada Business Advisors can assist through this process.
The Paragon Group
The Paragon Group is a boutique business development firm bridging the gap for small, minority, and women-owned businesses as well as private and public sector entities.
WBEC West
WBEC-West is a regional partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), a coalition of corporations, WBEs and regionally focused women’s business organizations. As an affiliate organization, WBEC-West implements the certification standards of WBENC throughout Arizona, Colorado, Southern California, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada,Hawaii and Guam. WBENC certification is nationally recognized and accepted by more than 10,000 major corporations. We also support corporations in their efforts to include WBENC Certified WBEs in their supplier diversity programs.
WBENC - Women's Business Enterprise National Council
The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit, partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations to provide its world class standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country

Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB)

National Women's Business Council
The Paragon Group
The Paragon Group is a boutique business development firm bridging the gap for small, minority, and women-owned businesses as well as private and public sector entities.
WBENC - Women's Business Enterprise National Council (Government)
The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit, partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations to provide its world class standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country
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