Governor's Office of Diversity Business
Gwendolyn Sims Davis, Commissioner

The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise’s (Go-DBE) standard processing time for certification is 45 (forty-five) days or less. This time standard is based upon receipt of a completed Registration application including all required supporting documentation.

Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise
In general, to be eligible for the Diversity Business Enterprise program and be certified as Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) or Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), persons must be a U.S. Citizen and resident in the state of Tennessee. Eligible persons must be independently owned and operated and must also establish and prove that it is at least 51% of the business is owned and controlled by a minority or woman within the meaning of T.C.A. §12-3-801 through 808.

Eligibility Guidelines (in general):

• Burden of Proof Allocation - Applicants carry the burden of proof regarding their eligibility to meet program eligibility and guidelines.
• Change in Ownership - firms that are certified with the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise must notify Go-DBE within 10 days of the date of a change in ownership, company name, contact information and or location information. A new Registration application will be required to make changes in certification information. Additional information will be requested on a case by case basis. Certified businesses will be notified in writing by our office of how the change affects the status of their certification. Firms that fail to notify Go-DBE office of pertinent information may be removed from Go-DBE Directory of certified businesses.
  
• Change in products or services offered - Firms that desire to add/delete or change the product or service initially registered for are required to submit a request in writing on their company letterhead. Request for changes in commodity code, NIGP, products and/or services will not be formalized by telephone request.
  
• Control - An owner seeking certification must demonstrate "real and substantial" control of the daily operation of the business as well as an overall understanding of managerial and technical competence and experience directly related to the type of business in which the firm is engaged. All documentation submitted must support the person’s ability to control of the daily operation of the business.
  
• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) - a member of the following minority group of persons: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans.
  
• Small Business Enterprise (SBE) - a business that is independently owned and operated, in accordance with the provisions of this part, and is not dominant in its field of operation and is not an affiliate or subsidiary. Must meet with the annual sales volume or number of employees for their Industry based on criteria as defined by T.C.A. §12-3-801 et. seq.
  
• Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) – of female gender, may be non-minority or of the following ethnic group of persons: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian-Pacific Americans.
• Ownership – Your business must be at least 51% owned and controlled in the day to day operation of the business by an ethnic minority or a female.

Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

Eligibility Guidelines (in general):

• Your business must be independently owned and operated.
  
• Must meet annual sales volume or number of employees for each industry.
  
• Visit www.tennessee.gov/diversity and click on “eligibility guidelines”.
• Applicants must submit a copy of the business’ most recent Tax Return in order to verify annual sales volume.
  
• Copies of IRS Form 941; Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return (or equivalent form adopted by the Internal Revenue Service) when meeting the guidelines based on number of employees.

Additional Requirements

On Site Visits and Questionnaire:
The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise will perform on-site visits of firms registering for certification. Diversity Business Liaison will request an appointment at an agreed upon time to meet with business owner. Diversity firms seeking certification will be required to complete the On-site visit questionnaire and return to Diversity Business Liaison prior to or no later than the date and time of the on site visit. Additional documentation will be requested during this time in order to properly asses’ ownership and control of the firms operation.

All applicants must be U.S. Citizens or a Permanent Resident Alien and must reside in the state of Tennessee. Out-of-State persons seeking certification with Go-DBE must be certified in their own state of residence and submit evidence of their existing certification at the time of registration. The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise is unable to certify out of state firms that do not have an existing certification.

Certification Renewal

Certification with the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise is valid for a period of two (2) years from the date as shown on the original certification letter. A completed and signed Affidavit of No Change is required for renewal of certification as minority owned, woman owned and small business enterprises. The following additional requirements must also be provided depending on diversity status:

• Small Businesses – must provide a complete copy of their most recent Tax Return.
• Small Businesses – meeting number of employees, must provide copies of their three (3) most recent Employer Quarterly Statements.
• Out of State Firms – must provide a copy of current certification from their home state.
• Firms that provided an existing certification with a different certification agency must provide a copy of their current certification with same or similar certification agency.
• Firms that have allowed their certification to expire must complete a new Vendor/Grantee Registration application in order to renew their certification with Go-DBE.

Reciprocity

The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise may accept certifications fromU. S. Small Business Administration (8a) Program, Minority Purchasing Councils, Airport Authorities, State Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Authorities or other Uniform Certification Agencies, Mid-South Certification Agency, National Women Business Enterprise Council, National Minority Certification Association and local chapters. The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise reserves its right to deny certification to any applicant not meeting guidelines according to T.C.A. §12-3-801 through 808.

Reconsideration

If your application for certification is denied and you wish to file for reconsideration, you must send a letter to the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise within 10 days from the date of denial to request reconsideration. Firms that are denied certification by Go-DBE may reapply for certification in two (2) years from the date of denial.

The appeal must at a minimum be in writing and include documentation to prove ownership and control along with factual information to support why the decision to deny certification should be reversed.

Provide a copy of the denial letter, and all additional information believed to be pertinent to the appeal that was not present at the time of review or on-site visit. Firms must provide the name and address of any certification agency that it is currently certified or the agency that has rejected its application for certification; or removed the firm's eligibility within one year prior to the date of the appeal. All documents shall be forwarded to the attention of assigned Diversity Business Liaison assigned at the time of registration. Submit documents to:

Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise, Attn: Diversity Business Liaison,
312 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., 27th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243.