8(a) certification in Florida

To get 8(a) certified in Florida, register in SAM.gov, confirm you meet SBA's rules for small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged U.S. citizens, and apply free on MySBA Certifications. Florida APEX Accelerator (University of West Florida, with regional offices) helps Florida businesses apply at no cost.

1. 01

   Register in SAM.gov

   Every certification and federal award needs an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID. Registration is free and must be renewed every 365 days.^[1]

2. 02

   Check 8(a) eligibility

   The business must be small under SBA size standards and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged, with good character and the potential for success.^[3]

3. 03

   Get free help in Florida

   Florida APEX Accelerator (University of West Florida, with regional offices): free counseling on SAM.gov, certification and bidding.^[13]

4. 04

   Apply on MySBA Certifications

   Apply at certifications.sba.gov. SBA aims to decide within 90 days of a complete application.^[2]

5. 05

   Register with Florida too

   8(a) covers federal contracts. To sell to Florida agencies, register on MFMP Vendor Information Portal registration (free).

6. 06

   Add the Florida certification

   Minority-, woman- and veteran-owned small business certification, through Department of Management Services, Office of Supplier Development.^[14]

APEX Accelerators, funded by the Department of Defense, help with registration, certification and bids. SBA district offices run certification outreach and answer program questions.

APEX Accelerators

• Florida APEX Accelerator (University of West Florida, with regional offices)

SBA district offices

• SBA North Florida District Office
• SBA South Florida District Office

Florida certifies its own programs separately from SBA, for Florida state contracts. 8(a) does not carry over automatically; apply to this one on its own terms:

• Minority-, woman- and veteran-owned small business certification, Department of Management Services, Office of Supplier Development.^[14]

Highway, transit and airport contracts paid with U.S. DOT funds use Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification, issued in Florida by the Florida Unified Certification Program (FDOT Business Growth & Engagement Office). It is separate from 8(a). Since October 3, 2025, DBE applicants no longer qualify by race or sex presumption: each owner submits a personal narrative of disadvantage and a personal net worth statement, under a $2,047,000 cap, and existing DBEs are being reevaluated.^[15][16][17]

171 open bids in Florida right now; 0 name 8(a) in the title.

No open bids right now. Browse all open bids

• Participants compete for 8(a) set-asides and can receive sole-source awards up to $8.5 million for manufacturing and $5.5 million for other work.^[3]
• The program lasts at most nine years, a four-year developmental stage and a five-year transitional stage, and a firm can take part only once.^[3]
• The government-wide goal for prime contracts to small disadvantaged businesses is 5%, the statutory floor, after SBA reset a 15% target in early 2025.^[6]

1. sam.gov/entity-registration
2. certifications.sba.gov/
3. sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/8a-business-development-program
4. federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/19/2023-15078/
5. ecfr.gov/current/title-13/part-124/section-124.107
6. sba.gov/article/2025/02/24/sba-administrator-loeffler-issues-memo-day-one-priorities
7. sba.gov/article/2026/01/28/sba-suspends-over-1000-8a-firms-program-following-december-document-request
8. federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/11/2026-16370/
9. acquisition.gov/far/2.101
10. uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section644&num=0&edition=prelim
11. sba.gov/district/north-florida
12. sba.gov/district/south-florida
13. flapex.org/
14. dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/office_of_supplier_development_osd/get_certified
15. fdot.gov/BusinessGrowth/dbecertification.shtm
16. federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/03/2025-19460/
17. transportation.gov/mission/civil-rights/disadvantaged-business-enterprise/september-2026-final-rule