HUBZone certification in California

To get HUBZone certified in California, register in SAM.gov, confirm you meet SBA's rules for small businesses with their principal office in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and at least 35% of employees living in one, and apply free on MySBA Certifications. Norcal APEX Accelerator (Cal Poly Humboldt) helps California 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 HUBZone eligibility

   The business must be small under SBA size standards and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization or an Indian tribe. Check your California office and employee addresses on the HUBZone map.^[3][4]

3. 03

   Get free help in California

   Norcal APEX Accelerator (Cal Poly Humboldt) or San Diego, Orange, Imperial APEX Accelerator: free counseling on SAM.gov, certification and bidding.^[14][15]

4. 04

   Apply on MySBA Certifications

   Apply at certifications.sba.gov with your office address and an employee roster showing where each employee lives.^[2]

5. 05

   Register with California too

   HUBZone covers federal contracts. To sell to California agencies, register on Cal eProcure bidder registration (free).

6. 06

   Add the California certification

   Small Business (SB) and Micro Business certification, through DGS Office of Small Business & DVBE Services.^[16]

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

• Norcal APEX Accelerator (Cal Poly Humboldt)
• San Diego, Orange, Imperial APEX Accelerator

SBA district offices

• SBA Fresno District Office
• SBA Los Angeles District Office
• SBA Orange County / Inland Empire District Office
• SBA Sacramento District Office
• SBA San Diego District Office
• SBA San Francisco District Office

California certifies its own programs separately from SBA, for California state contracts. HUBZone does not carry over automatically; apply to this one on its own terms:

• Small Business (SB) and Micro Business certification, DGS Office of Small Business & DVBE Services. Free. Agencies can buy from certified small businesses through the SB/DVBE Option instead of a formal bid.^[16]

918 open bids in California right now; 0 name HUBZone in the title.

No open bids right now. Browse all open bids

• Certified firms compete for HUBZone set-asides and sole-source awards, and get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open competitions.^[3]
• The government-wide goal is 3% of prime contract dollars for HUBZone firms.^[3]
• There is no time limit on participation; firms recertify every three years, in the 90 days before the anniversary of certification.^[5]

1. sam.gov/entity-registration
2. certifications.sba.gov/
3. sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program
4. maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map
5. ecfr.gov/current/title-13/part-126/section-126.500
6. acquisition.gov/far/2.101
7. uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section644&num=0&edition=prelim
8. sba.gov/district/fresno
9. sba.gov/district/los-angeles
10. sba.gov/district/orange-county-inland-empire
11. sba.gov/district/sacramento
12. sba.gov/district/san-diego
13. sba.gov/district/san-francisco
14. apexnorcal.org/
15. apexsocal.org/
16. dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise