Go-DBE Certification

To qualify for certification under the State of Tennessee’s Diversity Business Enterprise program as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), Persons with Disabilities (DSBE), Service-Disabled Veteran (SDVBE), or Small Business Enterprise (SBE), the owner of the business must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Out-of-state businesses may receive certification through reciprocity from their home state.

Eligibility guidelines for all diversity categories:

  • Business must be independently owned and operated.
  • Must be a for-profit business that serves a commercially useful function.
  • Business must be in operation for a minimum of two (2) years to qualify for certification.
  • Applicants are required to submit the most recent federal tax return by the majority owner (including all schedules) to verify ownership and control.
  • Businesses must have a residence in the State of Tennessee and be located within Tennessee borders, or provide certification from their home state, or a nationally recognized diversity certification.
  • Burden of Proof Allocation – Applicants carry the burden of proof regarding their eligibility to meet program eligibility and guidelines.
  • Change in Ownership – Certified businesses must notify Go-DBE of any changes in ownership, company name, contact information, or location information within 10 days of the change. Businesses are required to submit a new registration application for changes to critical certification information. Go-DBE may request additional information on a case-by-case basis. If you fail to inform Go-DBE about relevant changes in ownership information, Go-DBE may remove you from its directory of certified businesses.
  • Change in Products or Services Offered – Businesses that desire to add/delete or change their UNSPSC codes for products or services initially registered, are required to update their Edison profile and complete a change request with Go-DBE.
  • Control – An owner seeking certification must demonstrate real and substantial control of the daily operation of the business. The majority owner must exhibit an overall understanding of managerial, technical, financial competencies, and experience directly related to the type of industry in which the business is engaged in. All submitted documentation must support the diversity member’s ability to control the daily operation of the business

Diversity Categories:

Applicants may only apply for one (1) diversity status during their entire certification
period with Go-DBE.

A business that is a continuing, independent, for-profit business performing a commercially useful function, and is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one (1) or more minority individuals facing economic barriers due to past discrimination based on race or ethnic background.

  •  African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
  • Hispanic American – A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
  • Native American – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America.
  • Asian American – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands.

A business that is a continuing, independent, for-profit business that performs a commercially useful function, and is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one (1) or more women. In the case of any publicly owned business, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the stock must be owned and controlled by one (1) or more women, with management and daily business operations under the control of one (1) or more women.

A business owned by a person with a disability that is a continuing, independent, for-profit business that performs a commercially useful function and is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one (1) or more persons with a disability. In the case of any publicly owned business, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the stock, which is owned and controlled by one (1) or more persons with a disability and whose management and daily business operations are under the control of one (1) or more persons with a disability: 

"Person with a disability" means an individual who meets at least one (1) of the following:

  • Diagnosed as having a physical or mental disability resulting in marked and severe functional limitations that is expected to last no less than 12 months; or
  • Eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); or
  • Eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and has a disability as defined in subdivision (A).

A business must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled in the day-to-day operation of the business by any person who served honorably on active duty in the United States armed forces with at least a twenty percent (20%) disability that is service-connected, meaning that such disability was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service.

  • In the case of a business solely owned by one (1) service-disabled veteran and such person’s spouse, is at least fifty percent (50%) owned and controlled by the service-disabled veteran.
  • Owner must present copy of their Department of Defense (DD) Form 214.

A business that is a continuing, independent, for-profit business which performs a commercially useful function and has total gross receipts of no more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) averaged over a three-year period or employs no more than 99 persons on a full-time basis.

Step 1: Register your business with the State of Tennessee through the Edison Supplier Portal

Edison is the State of Tennessee’s ERP procurement and payment system where all businesses need to register. You must register in the Edison portal to participate in the proper sourcing events to bid and participate in State procurement activity. Your Edison Supplier number is required before completing the certification application. Once the Edison application is completed, the State will send a temporary 10-digit registration number. After a review (approximately 10 days), you will receive a permanent 10-digit Supplier ID number. You will need to enter this number in our certification application. 

Register here

Need help obtaining your Edison Supplier ID number? Check out this helpful resource. 

Already registered in the Edison Supplier Portal? Skip to Step 2


Step 2: Apply for Certification

Your application must be submitted through the online portal. We are unable to process any hard copy applications. Once your application is successfully submitted with all required documents, it can take 30 to 45 days to complete the certification process.

Once your application is approved you can expect to receive an approval letter by email and instructions on how to view or print your certificate.

Applications that are denied certification may reapply in three (3) years from the date of denial. If an application for certification is denied, applicants who wish to file for reconsideration must forward a letter by email through the TN Diversity software system to the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise, to the attention of the Diversity Business Liaison who performed the assessment or on-site visit within 10 days from the date of denial to request reconsideration.

Complete your certification application here. 

Need help completing your certification application? Check out this helpful resource.

You must renew your certification with the Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise every three (3) years ***Note: The only exception to this is DSBE certification which must be renewed annually.

You are responsible for keeping your certification active and in good standing. Applicants for re-certification are invited to submit an online application for renewal. Certified businesses will receive email notification sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of their current certification.

You can complete the recertification application here and use the log-in information you used when completing your previous certification application.

All Businesses – Businesses must provide a copy of the most recent Federal Tax return, including all schedules, for all re-certifications. Failure to provide ALL the requested documentation may result in denial of applicant request for certification and/or renewal of certification.

Small business applicants must provide copies of their prior tax return and three (3) most recent copies of their Employer Quarterly Statements Form 941(s) to verify that the guidelines for annual sales volume or the maximum number of employees are being met.

All Out of State Businesses – Businesses that provided an existing certification at the time of their initial application must provide an updated copy of that certification at the time of renewal.

Note:  Businesses that have allowed their certification with Go-DBE to lapse or expire may need to complete a new certification application. 

Here are the documents you’ll need to complete the process based on your business’s legal structure.

https://tn.diversitysoftware.com/?TN=tn

Select “Search Registered Directory” 

For assistance in searching our Certified Directory please refer to the following helpful resource.

***Job Aid coming soon

The Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise may accept certifications from the U.S. Small Business Administration (8a) Program, Minority Purchasing Councils, and Airport Authorities, state Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Authorities or other Uniform Certification Agencies, Mid-South Certification Agency, National Women Business Enterprise Council, Local chapters of the National Minority Certification Association, Port Authorities, Clearing Houses, and other state certification programs. 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. §12-3-1101 through 1107, 12-3-401(b), 12-3-503 (c), 12-3-514(g), and Public Chapter 485. Firms that provided an existing certification at the time of their initial certification by a certification agency must provide a copy of their current certification with the above-mentioned agencies at the time of renewal.