HUBZone certification in Colorado

To get HUBZone certified in Colorado, 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. Colorado APEX Accelerators helps Colorado 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 Colorado office and employee addresses on the HUBZone map.^[3][4]

3. 03

   Get free help in Colorado

   Colorado APEX Accelerators: free counseling on SAM.gov, certification and bidding.^[9]

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 Colorado too

   HUBZone covers federal contracts. To sell to Colorado agencies, register on ColoradoVSS vendor registration (free).

6. 06

   Add the Colorado certification

   Certify Colorado, through OEDIT Minority Business Office.^[11]

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

• Colorado APEX Accelerators

SBA district office

• SBA Colorado District Office

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

• Certify Colorado, OEDIT Minority Business Office. Pays up to $2,000 toward the cost of third-party certifications.^[11]

55 open bids in Colorado 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/colorado
9. coloradoapex.org/
10. dhr.colorado.gov/supplier-diversity/business-certifications
11. oedit.colorado.gov/programs-and-funding/awards/certifications/certify-colorado