Supplier Impact Glossary of Terms
This glossary provides clear definitions of commonly used terms, acronyms, and abbreviations related to supplier diversity, supplier impact, government contracting, and certification programs. It serves as a reference guide for understanding industry language used throughout supplier registration, reporting, and engagement processes.
A
8(a)
A certification provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that enrolls a business in the SBA Business Development Program, allowing participation in federal set-aside opportunities for 8(a) certified businesses. As of July 2023, the minority-based 8(a) program was suspended following a court ruling (Ultima Servs. Corp. v. U.S. Department of Agriculture).
ABE – Asian Business Enterprise
A business that is Asian-owned and has received certification.
ACDBE – Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
A DBE-certified airport concessionaire. See "DBE."
B
BDR – Billion Dollar Roundtable
A corporate group committed to increasing supplier diversity and spending with diverse-owned suppliers.
C
CAGE Code – Commercial and Government Entity Code
A unique identifier assigned to suppliers doing business with the federal government.
Certification Agency
A third-party organization that specializes in reviewing and verifying diverse-ownership certifications.
Certified
Describes a business that has been certified by a recognized third-party organization (such as WBENC or NMSDC).
Classified Suppliers
Suppliers who self-attest to being diverse (meeting 51% ownership and control requirements). If a certification expires, their status changes from Certified to Classified.
D
Data Enrichment / Data Cleanse / Data Scrub
Processes used to identify, verify, and append demographic or certification attributes to supplier records.
Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)
A business that is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a person with a disability who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
Disability:IN
A third-party certifier for disability-owned businesses. Formerly USBLN.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
A government-certified business meeting standards for social and economic disadvantage. May include minority-, woman-, disabled-, or otherwise disadvantaged-owned businesses.
Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)
A California-recognized certification for businesses owned (51%+) and controlled by a veteran with at least a 10% service-connected disability rating.
Disadvantaged Veteran Enterprise (DVE)
A small business that is at least 51% owned and managed by veterans.
Diverse Business / Diverse Supplier
A business that is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman, minority, veteran, person with a disability, LGBTQ+ individual, or other SBA-defined diverse group.
Diverse Certification
A verification process performed by an authorized certifier confirming that a business meets diverse-ownership requirements.
Diverse Supplier Spend
Procurement dollars spent directly with diverse-owned or small businesses.
DOT – Department of Transportation
A federal or state-level agency overseeing transportation programs and DBE standards.
DUNS – Dun & Bradstreet Number
A unique business identifier provided by Dun & Bradstreet.
E
Economic Impact Analysis (EIA)
An assessment of how a project or business influences economic factors such as revenue, wages, and employment.
Economically Disadvantaged Individuals
Individuals with impaired access to capital or credit compared to others in similar business fields.
EPHCC – El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
An SBA-approved certifier for WOSB and EDWOSB certifications.
Enhanced Digital Certification (EDC)
A fast, online third-party certification program offered by SupplierGATEWAY, often completed within minutes and approved within 72 hours.
F
FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulations
Rules governing federal government procurement.
FedBizOpps (FBO)
Former federal procurement website, now replaced by opportunities listed on Beta.SAM.
FEIN – Federal Employer Identification Number
A unique nine-digit number assigned by the IRS to identify businesses.
FSC – Federal Supply Codes
Codes used to categorize products for government purchasing.
G
Government Contracting Goals
Targets established for federal agencies on how much of their contracting dollars must go to small or diverse businesses.
GSA – General Services Administration
Manages long-term federal contracts known as GSA Schedules.
H
HBCU/MI
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions recognized for federal contracting opportunities.
HUBZone
A federal program supporting small businesses located in historically underutilized business zones.
HUD – Housing and Urban Development
Federal department supporting housing and community development programs.
I
IDIQ – Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity Contract
A government contracting method allowing flexible order quantities and timelines.
Identified Supplier
A supplier who has provided demographic data without third-party verification.
L
LGBT-Owned Business
A business that is at least 51% owned and operated by LGBTQ+ individuals.
M
Master Vendor File
A company’s internal database of supplier information.
MBE – Minority Business Enterprise
A business 51% owned and controlled by one or more minority individuals and typically certified by NMSDC or similar organizations.
MWBE – Minority Woman Business Enterprise
A minority woman-owned business with certification.
N
NAICS – North American Industry Classification System
Codes used to classify business types for statistical and contracting purposes.
NaVOBA – National Veteran-Owned Business Association
A certifier for veteran- and service-disabled-owned businesses.
NGLCC – National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
The national certifier for LGBT-owned businesses.
NIGP Codes
Standardized procurement codes used by government agencies.
NMSDC – National Minority Supplier Development Council
The largest certifier of minority-owned businesses.
Non-Classified Supplier
A supplier whose diversity status cannot be verified or supported through available evidence.
NVBDC – National Veteran Business Development Council
A leading certifier of veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
NWBOC – National Women Business Owners Corporation
A certifier for women-owned businesses and SBA-approved WOSB/EDWOSB certifier.
O
OSDBU – Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Provides outreach and assistance to small disadvantaged businesses.
P
PNW – Personal Net Worth Statement
A financial document required for certain certifications (e.g., DBE).
Prime Vendor
A supplier with a direct contract relationship with a customer.
PSC – Product Service Codes
Codes used in federal systems to classify goods and services sold.
PTAC – Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
Organizations offering free or low-cost help with government contracting.
PTAP – Procurement Technical Assistance Program
The federal program that oversees PTACs.
PWD – Person with Disability / Disabled-Owned Business
A business owned by a certified individual with a disability.
R
Registered/Resident Agent
A designated individual or company that receives official state notifications on behalf of a business.
RFI – Request for Information
A preliminary request to gather supplier capability details.
RFP – Request for Proposal
A document requesting detailed business proposals for goods or services.
RFQ – Request for Quote
A request for pricing information on specific goods or services.
S
SAM – System for Award Management
The federal registration system required for government contracting.
SBA – Small Business Administration
The U.S. government agency supporting small business development and certifying certain programs (8(a), HUBZone).
Self-Certified
A business that self-attests to meeting diversity or small business qualifications.
SBE – Small Business Enterprise
A company-level certification issued by state or local governments.
SDE – Small Disadvantaged Enterprise
A small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
SDVOB / SDVBE – Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business/Enterprise
A business owned (51%+) and controlled by a service-disabled veteran.
SIC – Standard Industrial Classification Code
A traditional system that categorizes industries by business activity.
Small Business
A business that meets size standards defined by the SBA.
Small Business Concern
A business that is independently owned and not dominant in its industry.
Small Business Set-Asides
Government contracts reserved exclusively for small or diverse businesses.
Small Business Size Standard
SBA-established size limits determining whether a business qualifies as “small.”
Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
A small business owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Socially Disadvantaged Individuals
People who have faced cultural bias or prejudice based on group identity.
Spend
The amount an organization spends purchasing goods or services from suppliers.
Strategic Sourcing
A method of optimizing procurement by consolidating vendors and reducing costs.
Sub-Contractor / Sub-Subcontractor
Suppliers contracted under a prime vendor or another subcontractor.
Supplier Development
Activities that build capability and performance among diverse or strategic suppliers.
Supplier Diversity
A proactive initiative to engage and support diverse suppliers.
Supplier Management Process
Processes used to manage supplier relationships and maximize value.
Supplier Registration Portal
A web-based platform used to collect and manage supplier information.
T
Third-Party Master Database
A database compiled from numerous public and private sources to enrich vendor data.
Tier 1 Spend / Supplier
Direct spend with first-tier suppliers.
Tier 2 Spend / Supplier
Indirect spend with suppliers that support Tier 1 suppliers.
U
UCP – Unified Certification Program
Allows for a single DBE certification recognized statewide.
UNSPSC – United Nations Standard Product and Service Codes
A global classification system for products and services.
V
USPAACC – US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce
A certifier of Asian-American-owned businesses.
USWCC – US Women’s Chamber of Commerce
A certifier of women-owned businesses and SBA-approved WOSB/EDWOSB certifier.
VA – Veterans Administration
Federal certifier for veteran-owned and service-disabled-owned businesses.
VOSB – Veteran-Owned Small Business
A business certified as veteran-owned under VA requirements.
VDOBE – Veteran-Disability Owned Business Enterprise
A business owned by a veteran with a disability not incurred during military service.
Vietnam Veteran-Owned Business
A business owned by one or more Vietnam-era veterans (served between 1959–1975).
W
WBENC – Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
A leading certifier of women-owned businesses.
WBE – Woman-Owned Business Enterprise
A business that is 51% owned and operated by a woman and certified at the federal, state, or local level.
EDWOSB – Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business
A WOSB where the qualifying woman meets specific economic disadvantage criteria.
WOSB – Women-Owned Small Business
A business that is 51% owned and controlled by one or more U.S. citizen women.
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