HUBZone certification in Florida

To get HUBZone certified in Florida, 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. 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 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 Florida office and employee addresses on the HUBZone map.^[3][4]

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.^[10]

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 Florida too

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

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

None of the Florida programs we verified is specific to small businesses with their principal office in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and at least 35% of employees living in one, so HUBZone is the main certification to pursue. Florida's other state programs are listed below.

• Minority-, woman- and veteran-owned small business certification, Department of Management Services, Office of Supplier Development.^[11]

163 open bids in Florida 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/north-florida
9. sba.gov/district/south-florida
10. flapex.org/
11. dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/office_of_supplier_development_osd/get_certified