Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council

CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Already certified and need to renew your certification? Click the “Renew Your Certification” button below and have your e-mail & password ready

Tips To Make Your New Certification Process Easier

  • Attend a Precertification Workshop. Contact certification@ohiomsdc.org for more information.
  • The certification process may take up to 90 days. The 90-day window begins on the day that the application has been deemed to be complete by OMSDC staff.

What is an MBE?/Certification Criteria

To become a Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), your business must meet the following National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) requirements. Both current and historical facts are considered in determining ownership qualifications and participation in the management and operations of the company.

  • Your business is a for-profit enterprise.
  • Your business is physically located in the United States or its trust territories.
  • Your business is at least 51% ethnic minority-owned. For the purposes of NMSDC’s program, a minority group member is an individual who is at least 25% Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American.
    • Asian-Indian: A U.S. citizen whose origins are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
    • Asian-Pacific: A U.S. citizen whose origins are from Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas.
    • Black: A U.S. citizen who is of African descent (excluding Northern Africa).
    • Hispanic: A U.S. citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin only. Brazilians (Afro-Brazilian, indigenous/Indian only) shall be listed under Hispanic designation for review and certification purposes.
    • Native American: A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut or Native Hawaiian, and regarded as such by the community of which the person claims to be a part. Native Americans must be documented members of a North American tribe, band or otherwise organized group of native people who are indigenous to the continental United States and proof can be provided through a Native American Blood Degree Certificate (i.e., tribal registry letter, tribal roll register number).
  • The minority/ethnic owner(s) of the business are U.S. citizens.
  • The minority/ethnic owner(s) of the business must be active in management and daily business operations.
  • The minority owner(s) shall possess the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the firm and shall possess the capability of making day-to-day as well as major decisions on matters of management, policy and operations of the firm. There shall be no restriction on the minority owner’s ability to control which would prevent the minority owner from making a business decision without the cooperation or vote of a non-minority person. Such control shall be known or at least tacitly acknowledged in day-to-day operations by employees and business references of the business. Where licenses are required to perform the functional mission of the company, such licenses shall be held in the name and/or independent control of minorities.
  • The minority ownership and control shall be real and continuing and not created solely to take advantage of special programs aimed at minority business development.
  • The minority owner(s) shall enjoy the customary incidents of ownership and shall share in the risks and profits and shall have contributed capital, equipment and/or expertise to the business commensurate with his/her percentage of ownership.

CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Complete the online application and submit electronically to OMSDC with all of the required documentation and the non-refundable application fee.

CLICK HERE or visit  https://affiliate.nmsdc.org/omsdc

The Desk Audit is a review of the entire “completed” application, including all supporting documents and references. An application is deemed complete when all required supporting documentation is submitted.

If an application is found to be incomplete, an email will be sent requesting all missing documentation. An applicant has 90 days to submit the requested documentation or their application will be withdraw.

The Site Visit is an in-person review conducted with the owners (51% must be present).

The Certification Committee meets once a month to review applications for MBE certification. The committee makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors for approval or denial of an MBE application.

The Board of Directors reviews the recommendations of the Certification Committee and make a final decision.

Applicants will receive a written notification of the Board’s decision.

Newly certified MBEs will attend this mandatory session to learn:

  • How to receive their certificate
  • The benefits of certification
  • How to engage with the Council and its members

Click on each Step to learn more about the process

Note: The above process may take up to 90 days. The 90 day window begins on the day that the application has been deemed to be complete. (Due to staffing transitions, the 90 day processing window may be extended.)

2023 CERTIFICATION FEE SCHEDULE

NOTICE

Any arrangement between an ethnic-minority business and other parties which involves apparent ethnic-minority “fronts”, or other circumstances which would tend to circumvent the certification process by placing any substantial control of the ethnic-minority business concern with a non-ethnic-minority individual(s) will be closely investigated, examined and will result in a denial or revocation of their certification. In addition, reapplication for certification under such circumstances will be denied. Submitting false information on the MBE Application is a Class II felony in most jurisdictions. The NMSDC and its Affiliate Councils shall maintain the “rights” to file charges.

Certification FAQs
Related To COVID-19

During the current health crisis, there may be concerns as to how the recertification process will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. OMSDC has developed answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions.