Federal Small Business Programs

WMATA assigns small business participation goals on contract-by-contract basis on federally funded construction contracts having a total dollar value greater than $500,000 and on non-construction procurements having a total value greater than $150,000.

WMATA is a member of the District of Columbia Unified Certification Program (DCUCP) along with the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT).

The following are general eligibility requirements for Federal Small Business certification:

  • 51% percent owned, managed and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s)
  • Must be a small business as defined by Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Personal Net Worth Limit: $2.047 million
  • Gross receipts must not exceed $31.84 million averaged out over three years
  • Firm must be organized as a for-profit business

Businesses interested in becoming certified in the Federal Small Business program must complete and submit an application through the Supplier Portal.

Federal Small Business Certification Application Steps - Jurisdiction of Original Certification (JOC) aka Home State

For WMATA purposes you are considered "JOC" if your principal place of business is the District of Columbia. Click here if your company is not located in D.C.

Steps to Submit an Application

  1. Download and complete the Uniform Certification Application (UCA).
  2. Collect all supporting documents (page 15 of the UCA)
  3. Download and complete the required Personal Net Worth (PNW) Form.
  4. Register as a supplier using WMATA's Supplier Portal. A temporary password will be sent to the email provided during registration.
  5. Apply for Certification; Sign-In using your User ID and Password.
  6. Click on Main Menu then on the certification you're applying for > Add a New Value

Certification Documents

Federal Small Business Programs Certification Application Steps -Interstate Certification

Applies to firms located outside the District of Columbia.

Steps to Submit an Application

Step 1: Federal Small Businesses Requesting Interstate Certification must provide:

  • A cover letter with its application that specified that the Federal Small Business is applying for interstate certification, identifies all Unified Certification Programs (UCPs) in which the Federal Small Business is certified (including the UCP that originally certified it
  • An electronic image of the UCP directory of the original UCP that shows the Federal Small Business certification and
  • A new Declaration of Eligibility (DOE)

Step 2: Confirm Eligibility

  • UCP confirms certifications after receiving firm materials
  • Within 10 business days of receiving the documents required in step 1, the additional UCP must confirm the certification of the federal small business by reference to the UCP directory of the JOC

Step 3: Certify

  • If the federal small business submits the items (step 1) and the UCP confirms the federal small business's certification (step 2) the UCP must certify the federal small business immediately without undergoing further procedures and provide the federal small business with a letter document its certification
  • Register as a supplier using WMATA's Supplier Portal. A temporary password will be sent to the email provided during registration.
  • Apply for Certification; Sign-In using your User ID and Password.
  • Click on Main Menu and select the certification you're applying for > Add a New Value

Annual Declaration of Eligibility (DOE)

  • Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) § 26.83j
    • A federally certified firm must provide its certifiers, every year on the anniversary of its original certification, a new DOE, and document gross receipts for its most recently completed fiscal year
    • Gross receipts are to calculated on a cash basis regardless of the Federal Small Business overall accounting method
    • The sufficiency of documentation (and its probative value) may vary by business type, size, history, resources, and overall circumstances
    • Safe harbor documents: (include all reportable receipts, properly calculated, for the full reporting period)
  • Audited financial statements
  • A CPA's signed attestation of correctness and completeness, or all income-related portions of one (or more when there are affiliates) signed and filed Federal Income Tax Returns
  • Noncompliance, whether full or partial, is a § 26.109(c) failure to cooperate

To apply for Annual DOE, follow these steps:

  1. Sign-In to WMATA's Supplier Portal using your User ID and Password.
    Should you need assistance with your User ID, please email PRMT_suppliersupport@wmata.com
  2. Click on Main Menu then select the certification you're applying for.
  3. Upload the DOE and Proof of Average Gross Receipts for the last year
  4. Click "Submit Application to WMATA".

Change in Ownership

If a change in the ownership, control or management of your firm has occurred, you must submit a written statement immediately subsequent to the change to SBPOHOTLINE@wmata.com