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Certifications›WOSB
Small Business Administration (SBA) · Federal Set-Aside Program
⭐

WOSB
Certification

Women-owned certification for $20B+ in set-aside federal contracts.

The WOSB Federal Contracting Program enables women-owned small businesses to compete for federal contracts in industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented. The program includes the Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB) designation for additional competitive advantages in the most underrepresented sectors.

Program At a Glance
Annual set-aside value
$20B+
Contracts per year
9,000+
Avg contract value
$2.2M
Processing time
30–60 days
Certification length
Annual recertification required
Annual renewal
Required
Find WOSB Tenders Free →
Overview

What is the WOSB?

The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program restricts competition for certain federal contracts to WOSB-certified firms in industries where women-owned businesses are substantially underrepresented. The EDWOSB designation — for economically disadvantaged women-owned businesses — provides even stronger preferences in designated NAICS codes.

Why It Matters

The competitive advantage

Federal agencies have a 5% statutory goal for WOSB contracting — the largest set-aside goal of any small business certification program. With $20B+ in annual WOSB spending across hundreds of NAICS codes, the opportunity pool is massive and growing year over year.

Eligibility Requirements

Do you qualify?

1
Women ownership
At least 51% owned by one or more women who are US citizens.
2
Women control and management
Women owners must manage day-to-day operations and make long-term strategy decisions.
3
Small business status
Must meet SBA size standards for your primary NAICS code.
4
NAICS code eligibility
WOSB set-asides are only available in specific NAICS codes where women-owned businesses are underrepresented. EDWOSB set-asides are available in an additional set of substantially underrepresented NAICS codes.
5
EDWOSB additional requirements
For Economically Disadvantaged WOSB: owner's personal net worth under $850,000, personal income averaged over 3 years under $400,000, total assets under $6.5M.
Benefits

What you unlock

$20B+ pool
WOSB set-aside contracts
Compete for contracts restricted to WOSB firms in designated NAICS codes.
Up to $7M
EDWOSB sole-source awards
EDWOSB firms can receive sole-source contracts up to $4.5M (services) or $7M (manufacturing).
5% federal goal
Largest set-aside goal
Federal agencies have a 5% WOSB goal — highest of all small business certifications.
Free
Free certification
SBA WOSB certification is free through certify.sba.gov.
All industries
Broad NAICS coverage
WOSB set-asides are available in hundreds of NAICS codes across virtually every industry.
How to Apply

Step-by-step application

1
Confirm your primary NAICS code is eligible for WOSB or EDWOSB set-asides using the SBA's NAICS code list
2
Register in SAM.gov — ensure women ownership is accurately reflected
3
Gather documents: business ownership documents, operating agreement or bylaws, personal financial statements (for EDWOSB)
4
Apply through certify.sba.gov
5
Complete the online application (8–15 hours typical)
6
SBA reviews — processing typically 30–60 days
✓
Annual recertification required to maintain status
Apply at certify.sba.gov ↗
Common Mistakes

What trips people up

✗Not verifying that your NAICS code is eligible for WOSB set-asides before applying
✗Confusing WOSB and EDWOSB — EDWOSB requires additional economic disadvantage documentation
✗Having a male business partner or board member with effective management control
✗Missing annual recertification deadlines
✗Not updating SBA when ownership percentages change
✗Failing to maintain the economic disadvantage thresholds for EDWOSB year over year
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Q: What NAICS codes are eligible for WOSB set-asides?
The SBA publishes a list of eligible NAICS codes where women are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented. This list is updated periodically. You can find the current list on the SBA website or check BidEdgeHQ — we filter WOSB-eligible tenders automatically.
Q: What's the difference between WOSB and EDWOSB?
WOSB requires women ownership and control plus small business status. EDWOSB adds economic disadvantage requirements — similar to 8(a) thresholds. EDWOSB firms can receive sole-source contracts; basic WOSB firms cannot.
Q: Can a woman-owned business also hold 8(a) certification?
Yes. If you meet 8(a) eligibility and the business is women-owned, you can hold both certifications and compete under either program depending on which set-aside is available for a specific contract.
Q: Do I need to use a third-party certifier?
No. Since October 2020, SBA certification through certify.sba.gov is the official path. Third-party certification organizations like WBENC are no longer an accepted substitute for federal WOSB certification.
Q: Does WOSB certification apply to state contracts?
Federal WOSB certification applies to federal contracts only. Most states have their own Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification programs with separate eligibility requirements. Some states accept WOSB certification as evidence for their own programs.
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