Government Certification & Public-Sector Contracting for Construction Firms

Definition & Purpose of Government Certification

• Government certification = formal recognition issued by an approved public agency that a firm meets specific socio-economic or size criteria.
  • Unlocks set-aside or preference contracting opportunities tied to that certification.
• Speaker’s personal certifications:
  • Woman-Owned
  • Minority-Owned
  • Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
  • Small Business (per SBA size standards)

Why Staying Current Matters

• Political turnover (new vs. old administrations) ⇒ regulations, goals, and contacts change; must keep relationships current with each level (local, state, federal).
• City of Atlanta mandate: activate 43,000 construction-related jobs through fiscal year ‘20XX (exact end-year unstated in audio).
• Federal infrastructure spending: speaker references being “part of that 10,000,000,000 pot.”

HubZone & Underserved-Area Opportunities

• HUBZone = Historically Underutilized Business Zone.
  • Certification targets firms located in or hiring from economically distressed areas.
  • Offers competitive & sole-source advantages on federal contracts.
• Similar “underserved area” language may appear in local programs.

NAICS Codes – The Contracting “Language”

• Federal buying & solicitation process driven by NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes.
  • FY-2024 high-usage examples in construction:
  • 541611 = administrative/management consulting & engineering services.
  • 236220 = commercial & institutional building construction.
• Action items:
  • Identify 5–10 codes that collectively describe ALL products/services offered.
  • Designate one primary code (bread-and-butter trade) for SBA size-standard checks.
  • Add every relevant code to supplier/vendor profiles; one-digit differences can cost opportunities.

Universal Certification Categories (U.S. Landscape)

• Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
• Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
• Veteran-Owned / Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (VBE/SDVOSB)
• Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE)
• Local variants (e.g., MFBE in Fulton County)

Certifying Agency vs. Contracting Department

• “Certifying agency” = office processing your application (interviews, document review) and issuing the certificate.
• For City of Atlanta: Compliance of Contract department.
  • Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport handles DBE/ACDBE certifications even though airport is city-owned.

Core Ownership & Control Rules

• Applicant(s) must own ≥51\% of equity and exercise managerial/operational control.
  • Passive or “paid-to-sit” owners are disallowed.
• Strategic equity example:
  • Speaker + Caucasian male partner → she holds 51\% / he 49\% to qualify for woman/minority status.
  • Equal 50/50 split would fail.
• Corporate scenario:
  • 15 shareholders total: 10 women, 5 men.
  • Must verify the women collectively own ≥51\% of stock to apply as WBE.

City of Atlanta – Small Business Certification Criteria

• Must meet SBA size standard tied to primary NAICS.
  • Example (illustrative): engineering firm size cap = gross receipts ≤75,000,000 and ≤100 employees.
• Additional requirements:
  • U.S. citizen or lawful resident.
  • Registered vendor/supplier with City of Atlanta before certification filing.
  • Company located in city limits.
  • No delinquent taxes or federal/state debts.
  • Case study: client’s forgotten >$5,000 SBA disaster loan blocked approval until debt was settled/written off.

Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l Airport (DBE / ACDBE)

• DBE thresholds (construction/services):
  • Avg. annual gross receipts ≤31,840,000.
  • Personal net worth (PNW) of qualifying owner ≤2,047,000 (business equity included).
• ACDBE (concessions: retail/restaurant) has different caps (numbers not stated in audio but “completely different”).
• Must complete federal Personal Net Worth Statement worksheet (auto-calculates PNW from assets–liabilities).

Fulton County – MFBE & Veteran Recognition

• Certifying office: Purchasing & Contract Compliance.
• MFBE = Minority Female Business Enterprise.
• Veteran add-on:
  • Provide DD-214.
  • Federal SDVOSB overlay: ≥90 days active duty (not training) + honorable discharge.

“Tier” System (County Level)

• County classifies firms into Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 based on revenue/size; tier determines participation goals and contract ceilings. (Exact dollar ranges not quoted.)

St. Louis Example – Speaker as Reviewer

• Assists City/County in evaluating certification applications & conducting owner interviews.
• Insight: many bids lost because General Contractors (GCs) scramble for subs after RFP release (30–45-day window) instead of maintaining year-round relationships.

Relationship-Building Framework

1. Brand Yourself First
   • People contract with individuals they know & trust before they consider the company.
2. Professional Presence
   • Exchange business cards, LinkedIn connections, association events.
3. Cultivate
   • Regular touch-points with GCs, subs, architects, engineers, agency staff.
4. Collaborate & Reciprocity
   • Share leads; include reliable partners on future bids.
5. Result
   • Speaker’s firms obtain 100 % of work via referrals; no cold-calling/door-to-door.

Key Industry Associations (Atlanta / National)

• AGC – Associated General Contractors of America
• ASA – American Subcontractors Association
• LIUNA – Laborers’ International Union of North America (local chapter offers labor supply & benefits)
• Additional Georgia/Atlanta construction & minority biz groups (list non-exhaustive in slide):
  • State, regional, and trade-specific bodies provide:
  • Early alerts on economic development & capital programs
  • Proposal-writing help
  • Compliance & OSHA training
  • Networking mixers and matchmaking

Speaker’s Companies & Consulting Offer

• C3 Contractors
  • Residential & commercial roofing + general contracting.
  • Husband = Chief Operating Officer (15 yrs roofing experience).
• C3 Business Consultants
  • Guides firms through certification strategy, applications, relationship mapping.
  • Typical rate: \$250/hr; conference attendees offered 1-hr free consult via QR-code scheduling.
  • Track record of primes & subs winning contracts nationwide.

Practical Tips & Ethical/Strategic Implications

• Certs are not mandatory for winning public work; they simply unlock set-aside lanes.
• Time is money → structure ownership intentionally before applying.
• Always verify financial standing (taxes, SBA loans, credit reports) to avoid surprise denials.
• Maintain multiple NAICS codes & supplier registrations across all target jurisdictions.
• Prioritize associations & relationships over one-off bid chasing; referrals compound.

Action Checklist for Attendees

• [ ] Identify 5–10 NAICS codes; declare a primary.
• [ ] Research SBA size standards for primary code.
• [ ] Register as vendor with City of Atlanta (or local target agency).
• [ ] Gather ownership documents proving ≥51\%$$ control.
• [ ] Pull tax transcripts & credit reports; resolve debts.
• [ ] Complete Personal Net Worth Statement (if pursuing DBE/ACDBE).
• [ ] Join at least one construction industry association this month.
• [ ] Schedule networking follow-ups with GCs, subs, architects from today’s event.
• [ ] Book free 1-hr consult (QR code) if needing tailored strategy.

Bottom Line

• Government certification, when combined with proactive relationship management, positions construction companies to access billions in local, state, and federal projects. Success hinges less on paperwork alone and more on strategic ownership structuring, continuous compliance, and cultivating a trusted network before bids hit the street.