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SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING PROGRAM

The Commonwealth maintains a strong commitment to providing opportunities for small businesses to compete for prime contracting opportunities with the goal of promoting the economic growth and success of small businesses.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Businesses interested in participating as a small business in the Small Business Contracting Program must first register to do business with the Commonwealth and self-certify as a “small business.” To self-certify and participate as a Small Business, a business must meet each of the following requirements:

  • The business must be a for-profit, United States business.
  • The business must be independently owned.
  • The business may not be dominant in its field of operation.
  • The business may not employ more than 100 full-time equivalent employees.*
  • The business may not exceed three-year average gross revenues of $38.5 Million, regardless of business type (effective 11/1/2018).

Businesses will be required to upload the first page of the company's three most recent federal tax returns which are required to verify annual gross revenues. You may redact your federal tax identification number, if desired. Acceptable file formats for tax upload include PDF and JPG. If a business has not existed for three years, the average gross sales are computed for the period of the business’ existence. For newly formed businesses, the determination is based upon projected gross sales.

Follow the step-by-step process below to complete self-certification as a small business.

*All full time, part time, and temporary employees working for the business plus owners and management personnel for all facilities, including those outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, if applicable, must be counted against the employment limitation.

STEP 1 – SUPPLIER REGISTRATION

  1. Visit the PA Supplier Portal and click on Suppler Registration. View the Vendor Registration Guide for additional instructions.
  2. If you get a message "Vendor exists in the system. Please enter Vendor Number", use the Supplier Lookup to find your 6-digit SAP number at https://b2b.ies.pa.gov/apps/vendor_lookup/index.html or email ra-pscsrmportal@pa.gov

Proceed to Step 2 if you already have a PA Vendor Number.

STEP 2 – SMALL BUSINESS SELF-CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

Application unavailable from July 1 - 2 for annual fiscal year end activities.

Small business self-certification, a two-year certification which requires biannual renewal, is a prerequisite for verification as a Small Diverse Business or Veteran Business Enterprise. Download the Small Business Application Guide for detailed instructions.

Prepare the following:
  • Company’s EIN/Federal Tax ID Number
  • Company’s federal tax returns for the three most recently filed tax years. You will need page 1 of Federal form 1120, 1120S, 1065, OR the Schedule C filed with Form 1040. If an extension has been filed for the most recently completed tax year, include a copy of the extension.
  • Company’s 6-digit SAP #/Vendor ID obtained in Step 1
  • Number of employees for the most recently completed tax year (additional supporting documentation my be required during the review process)

If also applying for Small Diverse Business or Veteran Business Enterprise verification:

  • Proof of valid third-party certification (see listing of accepted third parties for Small Diverse Business or Veteran Business Enterprise verification)
  • Proof of gender or race/ethnicity (if applying for SDB MBE or WBE and minority or woman-owned status is not specified on third-party certificate or profile)
To begin the certification process:
  1. Go to the PRISM Portal at http://bdisbo.prismcompliance.com > Self-Certify or Recertify as a Small, Diverse, and/or Veteran Business.
  2. Click Start Application twice
  3. Enter your company’s Tax ID (without spaces or dashes) and 6-digit Vendor ID. TIP: This is incorporated into the the first six digits of your certification number on your Small Business certificate if you are renewing with us.
  4. Click Find Me
  5. Check all options that apply > Continue
    • SB if applying as a Small Business (checked by default)
    • SDB if applying as a Small Diverse Business
    • VBE if applying as a Veteran Business Enterprise

    NOTE: You must have a current certification from an approved third-party to apply as SDB or VBE. Pending or expired third-party certifications cannot be verified.

RESOURCES

APPLICATION & INSTRUCTIONS

PROGRAM GUIDELINES