HUBZone certification in Massachusetts

To get HUBZone certified in Massachusetts, 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. Massachusetts APEX Accelerator (MSBDC, UMass Amherst) helps Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts office and employee addresses on the HUBZone map.^[3][4]

3. 03

   Get free help in Massachusetts

   Massachusetts APEX Accelerator (MSBDC, UMass Amherst): 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 Massachusetts too

   HUBZone covers federal contracts. To sell to Massachusetts agencies, register on COMMBUYS supplier registration (free).

6. 06

   Add the Massachusetts certification

   MBE, WBE, VBE and other diversity certifications, through Supplier Diversity Office.^[10]

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

• Massachusetts APEX Accelerator (MSBDC, UMass Amherst)

SBA district office

• SBA Massachusetts District Office

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

• MBE, WBE, VBE and other diversity certifications, Supplier Diversity Office. Free; Massachusetts-based firms first attend a pre-certification workshop.^[10]

854 open bids in Massachusetts right now; 0 name HUBZone in the title.

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• 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/massachusetts
9. massapex.org/
10. mass.gov/sdo