SBA Set-Aside Program
Women-Owned Small Business
Set-aside for small businesses 51%+ owned AND managed by women. Only competes in NAICS codes where women are underrepresented per SBA's 413-code list.
Who qualifies for WOSB?
- At least 51% unconditionally and directly owned by one or more women who are US citizens
- Women must control management and daily operations
- Small business by SBA size standard for primary NAICS
- Set-asides only available in the 413 NAICS codes where women are substantially underrepresented (see SBA list)
What WOSB gives you
- WOSB set-aside competitions in eligible NAICS
- Sole-source contracts up to $7M (services) / $4.5M (products) in eligible NAICS
- 5% federal-wide procurement goal
- Less crowded than 8(a) or SDVOSB pools in many NAICS
How to get certified
Certifying body: SBA certification (as of 2020 — self-certification is no longer valid)
Certification requires documenting ownership, control, size, and any specific program criteria (e.g., veteran disability rating, HUBZone principal office, economic-disadvantage net worth). Expect 60-120 days from complete application to decision — longer if your documents need revision.
Once certified, you'll be listed in SAM.gov's Dynamic Small Business Search with the WOSB flag, making your firm discoverable to contracting officers filtering by set-aside status.
Common mistakes that kill WOSB applications (and bids)
- Self-certifying — SBA now requires formal certification; self-certs get protested out
- Bidding on WOSB set-asides in NAICS codes not on SBA's eligible-413 list
- Having a woman as nominal owner but a male spouse running daily operations
- Confusing WOSB with EDWOSB — EDWOSB requires the additional economic-disadvantage test
Typical WOSB contracts
Professional services, IT consulting, medical services, management consulting — active across GSA, HHS, USDA, and many civilian agencies.
Check your WOSB eligibility (free)
10 questions, takes under 3 minutes. Returns which SBA set-asides you likely qualify for — WOSB plus every other program your firm may be eligible under.
Run the eligibility checker →Build a capability statement (free)
Once you're certified, a capability statement is the single most-requested document from contracting officers. Our free builder produces a clean one-page PDF in 5 minutes.
Start your capability statement →Other SBA set-aside programs
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