Description
Join us for a comprehensive course on how to apply for federal small business certifications through the SBA’s new certification portal, “MySBA Certifications.” This course will provide a clear and concise overview of the certification process, empowering you to successfully navigate the application for federal small business certifications and avoid common mistakes that can lead to lengthy processing times or denial of your application.
This course will teach you how to apply for all SBA Certification Programs, including HUBZone certification, Woman-Owned (and Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned) Small Business certification, Veteran-Owned (and Service Disabled Veteran Owned) Small Business certification, and the SBA’s 8(a) certification. This in-depth training will cover all steps in the certification process, such as:
- Determining your eligibility and readiness for various certification programs
- Choosing which program(s) to apply for and understanding timing considerations
- Finding and utilizing helpful resources and contacts along the way
- Self-certifying your socioeconomic status in SAM.GOV
- Creating an account on MySBA Certifications
- Identifying, gathering, and organizing the required certification documentation
- Preparing answers, narratives, and letters of explanation
- Navigating the MySBA Certifications portal and submitting your application
- Monitoring communication and responding to information requests
- Receiving the approval or denial of your application
Target Audience: small business contractors, APEX Accelerator counselors
Meet Your Instructors:
CARROLL BERNARD, Govology CEO & Co-Founder
Carroll Bernard is the CEO and Co-Founder of Govology.com. He has an extensive background in government contracting, resulting from his experience as a government buyer, a small business contractor, and a procurement advisor.
Carroll started his acquisition career in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps, where he provided logistical support and acquisition management as a Supply Officer. After leaving active duty, Carroll continued his acquisition career in the Procurement Services Department of the City of Vancouver, WA, and later as a warranted Contracting Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Carroll’s last federal employment was at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), where he served as a Business Development Specialist for 8(a) companies in the Business Development Program. He also served as the SBA Portland District’s Veteran Business Development Officer and Primary HUBZone Liaison. Through his duties at the SBA, Carroll became a subject matter expert in small business programs, federal certifications, the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, teaming, and small business contracting with federal agencies.
After his career in the federal government, Carroll supported small businesses in government contracting as a Procurement Counselor with the Defense Logistics Agency’s Procurement Technical Assistant Program (now Department of Defense APEX Accelerator), established to expand the number of companies capable of participating in government contracts.
Carroll has supported vendor outreach, education, and success in many ways. In 2015, Carroll and his team at Govology launched a world-class online training platform for government contractors. Since then, they have trained over 20,000 business professionals and saved small businesses millions of dollars through their collaborative partnerships with non-profit organizations, government agencies, universities, and corporations that share their mission and passion for powering up small businesses. As a result, Carroll and his wife, Elena Bernard, PhD, were named 2020 Small Business Champions by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
ASHLEY DUWEL, Duwel Dev
Ashley Duwel is an experienced Federal Sales Strategist with a remarkable track record of helping over 500 businesses win over $100 million in government contracts. As the Founder & CEO of Duwel Dev, LLC, she specializes in providing comprehensive support for navigating government systems and processes, with particular expertise and certification in implementing the efficient project management platform Monday.com. Ashley is also dedicated to supporting veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship as a Certified Veterans Assistance Counselor. With her strategic insights and deep understanding of government contracting, Ashley Duwel is a trusted advisor well-versed in the challenges small businesses face in the marketplace.
Bianca Lucero (verified owner) –
I really enjoyed the structure of the webinar; it was clear, organized, and easy to follow. The step-by-step screenshots of the portal were incredibly helpful and made the process much easier to understand. The links in the slides were also very convenient and easy to access. Having multiple instructors was a great benefit, as it provided different ranges of expertise and perspectives. I also appreciated the time allocated for questions and the thoughtful, thorough responses. This has given me more confidence to start the process for the SBA program, which I found overwhelming at first, and it has provided me with the foundation to better prepare and know what to expect. Thank you for such an informative and supportive session.
Jennifer Swearingen (verified owner) –
Extremely informative. Clearly explained and walked us through the updates to the various certifications and new website, pointing out areas we need to pay particular attention to. I liked that they gave us a step-by-step plan to complete our certifications. They also shared that you have a window of time to complete registrations and that they don’t have to be done in one day, which was reassuring. I feel much more confident moving forward with our certifications thanks to this training. Greatly appreciate them sharing their time and expertise.