One year ago, everyone in the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) was operating at warp speed, working to get every T crossed and I dotted in time for the July 1, 2009, rollout of the Statewide Uniform Certification Program (SWUC).
A year later, we still haven’t quite caught our collective breaths, but nearly 2,000 HUB firms have been certified by this office, significantly reducing the need for them to request certification with multiple local agencies.
There are several categories for HUB certification, but a company must demonstrate that at least 51 percent of the business is owned, operated and managed by a minority, female or person with a disability. Currently, there are about 3,700 HUBs certified in Vendor Link, the database used by all public entities for identifying HUB firms.
We have heard from the construction community that having a statewide certification database has made it easier for them to identify HUB firms for various construction-related projects. Additionally, I believe HUB firms appreciate the reduced number of certifying agencies, as well as the four-year certification cycle that SWUC provides.
Our second year of implementation will focus on fine-tuning our processes to shorten the review of and response to certification applications. We also anticipate conducting more site visits to help us make a better determination as to whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
Helping HUB businesses succeed is not only good for their bottom line, but also helps to boost the state’s economy by creating new jobs and maintaining existing ones. We at the HUB Office consider it a truly great job to be part of this.