Frequently Asked
Questions
8(a) / SDB Electronic
Application
General
Information
1.
What is the purpose of the Electronic Application?
The purpose of the Electronic Application is to improve the public's
ability to apply for the Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) and Small
Disadvantaged Business (SDB) programs. Through the use of an Internet based
application, more small businesses will be able to become certified in these
programs.
2. How
do I get to the Electronic Application?
The easiest way to find the Electronic Application is to start at the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Find the listing of SBA programs on the main page and click on the 8(a) or SDB program links. Both of these program’s pages have direct links to the Electronic Application introductory and guide page.
3.
Where do I call to get help with the Electronic
Application?
For
Contact (215) 5
For 8(a) E-application Questions
located in:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii,
Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana,
Nevada, New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Samoa, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah,
Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
Contact (415) 744-6784 for assistance.
For SDB E-application Questions
nationwide: Contact (
For both
4.
Who can apply and what are the basic requirements for 8(a) and SDB?
Any for profit small business or
Community Development Corporation (CDC) in the
Registration
Process
1. How
do I start the Electronic Application?
To start your Electronic Application you should be on the Electronic Application introductory page. This page contains information on the process for completing the Electronic Application and the steps you must take to complete your application.
On the upper-right of the page is a box of quick links to the various steps in the registration process. First, you must be registered with the Central Contractor Registry and the SBA Supplemental databases. Once you have completed this step, you must register with SBA’s General Login System (GLS) for an account on the SBA Computer Network. After you receive an account, you will be able to begin the Electronic Application.
2. Why
do I register my firm with the Central Contractor Registry
(CCR)?
Every firm that does business with the federal government must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry. This database contains information about your company and its products and services that is used by Federal agencies throughout the procurement process.
3. What
is the General Login System (GLS)?
The SBA General Login System (GLS)
is the entry point for access to the SBA Computer Network and the Electronic
Application. All users, whether SBA employees or the general public, must be
registered with the GLS in order to access the Electronic Application.
Applicants to the 8(a) and SDB programs must first register for an account with
GLS prior to completing the electronic application.
4. How
do you register for the GLS?
After registration in the CCR and SBA Supplemental databases, new users must complete the GLS Registration process. From the introductory page for the Electronic Application, click on the GLS Registration link and complete the requested information. If your CCR and SBA Supplemental registrations have been completed correctly, you should receive a User ID and Password via e-mail that will allow you access to the Electronic Application.
5. When
I try to register for the GLS, I get an error that says my EIN and DUNS # are
not registered with CCR, but I know they are. Why?
There are three main reasons for receiving this error:
A.
Small business status is verified
at the time the company submits their CCR registration, which is passed down to
SBA for immediate size verification.
This is an automatic process that checks specific criteria you have
selected in your CCR profile, such as average annual revenue, number of
employees, NAICS codes and business types. You should make sure that this
information is correct in order to qualify as a small business and meet the size
standard. Once it is approved,
You may not have checked the Small Business check box on the Corporate
Information screen of your CCR entries. If this box is not checked, you are not
given the opportunity to complete the SBA Supplemental Pages of the database.
Completion of these pages is required to register for a GLS account. The best
way to find out if you checked this box is to search for your entry on CCR and
check the entries under Socioeconomic Factors. If the box is not checked, check it and
save the updated information. The CCR will
come back with
then indicate you successfully completed
a listing of "yes" next to each NAICS
code and will then indicate that you have successfully completed the
registration
process and display a link button to the
SBA Supplemental Pages.
B. The information you entered for the GLS Registration may not match the entries those same information in CCR and the SBA Supplemental data. You should check the entries in CCR for e-mail address, EIN and DUNS number to ensure that they are the same as those entered in the registration process.
C. Your firm was registered in PRO-Net prior to 2004 and your entries have not been updated since it was absorbed by CCR. You will need to update and/or reactivate your entry using your PRO-Net number and password.
If these actions do not work, please contact the appropriate Electronic Application help line for assistance.
6. Why
is there a three-day wait to register with the GLS after completing my CCR
registration?
The wait is necessary for the
database information in the CCR and SBA databases to be validated and
synchronized.
7. How
do I get a User ID and Password to start the Electronic
Application?
Your User ID and password for the Electronic Application are generated by SBA when your GLS registration is successful. In this case, a message is displayed indicating your data has been validated and a User ID and password will be e-mailed to you shortly. The wait time is usually between 1 to 5 minutes.
Your User ID begins with the
letters “bus “followed by initials of the registered user and a 3 digit number
such as 004. The password is eight characters and is a one time use password to
get you on the Electronic application for the first time. You must change this password upon entry
into the application. Criteria for
the SBA password are included on your e-mail.
If you forget your User ID or password, go to the Electronic Application
introductory page, click on the GLS Login link, and use the Forgot User ID or
Forgot Password links. If you have forgotten both, use the Forgot User ID link
first as a User ID is necessary to retrieve passwords.
9. Do my
User ID and Password change?
SBA protocols for passwords require that they be changed every 90 days. You will be sent an e-mail prior to the expiration of the password. Password requirements are that the password be at least eight characters long and must include at least three of the four following items:
A.
Uppercase letters;
B.
Lowercase letters;
C. Numbers;
D. One or More Symbols { } [ ] < >;: ' " ? / | \ ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * [ ] _ - + =.
The
Application
1.
Is there online Help for the Electronic Application?
There is on-line help for the
Electronic Application. Items with help are followed by a help bubble at the end
of the sentence or question. The
help information is context sensitive and includes Regulatory citations where
necessary. All help is in the form of questions and answers.
2.
What is the two year rule?
The two year rule is a regulation of the
A. That the disadvantaged owners and managers have substantial and demonstrated business management experience;
B. The business itself has demonstrated technical expertise to carry on its business plan;
C. The business has adequate capital to carry out its business plan;
D. The business has a record of successful performance on contracts in the primary industry in which it is seeking certification; and
E. The business has or can demonstrate its ability to obtain the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment and any other requirements needed to perform on contracts.
A business that has not generated any revenues in the current year or in previous years will not be able to wave the two year rule.
3.
What if I have been arrested, charged or convicted of an
offense?
Applicants for the
Your information is sent to the SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the fingerprint card is, in turn, sent to the FBI for processing. The OIG reviews your documents, and along with the results of the FBI processing, returns its findings to the Office of Business Development. The OIG findings are reviewed as part of the character eligibility determination, and may have an effect on the outcome of your application.
4.
What is the checklist for, my business doesn’t require most of those
documents?
The checklist is a guide for the documents and information you need to
complete the application, and is also a list of the documents that SBA may
request for further information when reviewing your application. Many businesses
may not have all the documents listed because they are not required for that
type of business, documents are not required for the business legal structure or
because the business locale does not require them.
Application
Processing
1.
When does processing of my application begin?
Processing of the application begins when SBA has received both the
electronically submitted application and the original signed and notarized Certification for the Receipt
of Electronic
2.
What is the Authorization and Certification form for?
This form is used to trigger processing of the Electronic Application. Your signature on this form indicates that you agree with the conditions of applying for the
3.
What is the SBA Customer ID number?
How do I find out my SBA Customer Id Number?
The SBA Customer ID number is generated when you enter your data in the SBA Supplemental Pages of the CCR. This number is used to identify your firm in the SBA portion of the CCR database and is required on the Authorization and Certification form for the Electronic Application.
If you do not know your SBA
Customer ID number, you may find it by doing a Small Dynamic Business Search
from the CCR Home page (www.ccr.gov). On the search form, enter your EIN or Duns
number and click on the “Search" button. If your firm is in the database,
information will be displayed, including the Business Name. Place the cursor
over the Business Name and the SBA Customer ID number will be listed in the URL
address at the bottom of the window. The Customer ID number begins with the
letter P and is followed by seven digits.
4.
How long does it take to get certified?
The periods for the
certification process for
the
In practical terms, applications that are less complex are likely to be processed faster than more complex applications. For example, a sole proprietorship owned
by a single individual is usually much less complex than an application from a corporation owned by many individuals.
5.
What happens if I am not, certified. Can I appeal?
If your initial application is declined, you can request that SBA reconsider its decision. You have 45 days from the date you receive SBA’s initial decision to request it be reconsidered. You must provide the information requested in the decision letter by that date or you will not be allowed to apply for one year.
SBA has 45 days from the date of receipt of your request to issue a final decision. If you are declined on reconsideration, you must wait one year from the date of that decision to reapply.
In some instances, you may have the option of appealing to the Office of Hearings and Appeals (0HA) instead of
requesting reconsideration. The requirements for appeals to OHA will be outlined in your decision letter if you have appeal
rights.