2. - Oct - Women Operated Small Business - 1.pptx

The APEX Accelerator Program is operated by DEO and is funded in part through an agreement with the Department of Defense.

APEX helps your business compete for government contracts by connecting you to:

1:1 Counseling on government contracting for your business
Workshops to prepare for the government contracting process 
Local, state and federal contracting opportunities relevant to your industry 
Training on how to market your goods and services to government buyers 
Networking events to meet buyers 
Individualized counseling on writing proposals, conducting market research, and more
Sign up for a tailored assessment, access workshops, trainings, and networking events, and see latest contracting opportunities. Visit here to schedule an appointment with an APEX Counselor today.

1. Los Angeles County Apex Accelerator 1). Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) & 2). Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (ED-WOSB) Federal – Business Certification Webinar Series

2. Contents Intro Federal Contracting Goals Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (ED-WOSB) Getting Certified Program Eligibility Requirements Maintaining Certification Small Business Administration – Approved Third-Party Certification Department of Economic Opportunity – Resources APEX Accelerator – How to schedule an appointment

3. Objectives Develop an understanding of the Federal Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Business (ED-WOSB) business certification program. Account for necessary processes and documents needed attain business certifications. Grow a familiarity with the variety of Platforms offering set-aside opportunities and subcontracting opportunities aimed at prompting utilization of WOSB and EDWOSB procurement related opportunities

4. The Department of Economic Opportunity operates 19 LA County America’s Job Centers of CA (AJCCs), which provide services to 4.1 million LA County residents and more than 188,000 LA County businesses – making it second largest public workforce system in the State. The Department of Economic Opportunity implements strategic economic development policies and programs to create pathways to economic self-sufficiency for our County’s most disadvantaged communities,  which include justice-involved, homeless, foster youth, veterans, diverse, small businesses, non-profits, individuals on public assistance, and low-income communities. Los Angeles County – Department of Economic Opportunity - Background

5. Talent Recruitment: We conduct one-on-one counseling sessions with your business to identify opportunities to recruit and hire new and diverse talent. Employee Upskilling: We assist your business with the development of a low to no-cost customized training program to build a pipeline of qualified workers to meet your workforce needs. Funding Programs: We save your business time and money by connecting you to our workforce programs that help expand your business while leveraging our subsidized wages funds. Layoff Aversion: We help your business avoid layoffs by identifying preventative measures that can keep your business on track for success. Credits & Incentives: We provide your business guidance and assistance in applying for new and established workforce related tax credits and incentives. The Department of Economic Opportunity offers no-cost business and workforce services .

6. At the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Small Business , we leverage our regional expertise and partnerships to help your business or non-profit certify, grow and thrive. Business Development Counselor Works closely with your business to create an action plan to start and grow your business in L.A. County. Our team of business services experts will help your business find personalized solutions that will help meet your business goals and while working towards becoming contract ready. Office of Small Business – Alternative forms of services “ Concierge Assistance ” Topic Specific Assistance Available (ex.): References/info. regarding Business Ownership Structures. Guidance on Business Plan templates. Access to tools to identify Licensing / Permitting considerations across regions. L.A. County Business Certification assistance aimed at supporting your businesses effort to becoming a “County Certified” business.

7. What is an APEX Accelerator? Background Formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, the APEX Accelerator Program is a unique program under management of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP). Designed to play critical role, the APEX Accelerators across the country aim to identify and help a wide range of businesses enter and participate throughout government and defense supply-chains. The program aims to provide education and training to ensure all businesses become capable of participating in federal, state, and local government contracts. November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 7

8. Mission To Serve as the axis for existing and new business to strengthen the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 8

9. HOW CAN APEX ACCELERATORS ASSIST BUSINESSES? I II III

10. HOW CAN APEX ACCELERATORS ASSIST BUSINESSES? IV V

11. November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 11 Why Pursue Federal Business Certification? In an effort to promote inclusivity in government contracting, the Federal government has a goal to award Women-owned small businesses at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars. To promote inclusive contracting: The Government offers – “ Set Aside ” Opportunities Whereby businesses are afforded contracting opportunities constructed to face limited competition by making opportunities available to only certified businesses. These opportunities are based on goods and services in specific industries (identified via business activity codes) where WOSBs are underrepresented are substantially underrepresented, as recognized by the Small Business Administration.

12. WOSB – Underrepresented industries 311411 - Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing 311423 – Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing 311811 – Retail Bakeries 311813 – Commercial Bakeries 323111 – Commercial Printing (except screen and books) 323117 – Books Printing 325611 – Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing 327310 – Cement Manufacturing 481110 – Scheduled Freight Trucking, Local 484151 – General Freight Trucking, Long-distance, truck load 485999 – Special Needs Transportation 522310 – Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers 531311 – Residential Property Managers 541110 – Offices of lawyers 541330 – Engineering Services 541511 – Custom Computer Programming Services 541922 – Commercial Photography 561613 – Security Guards and Patrol Services 611512 – Flight training 624221 – Temporary Shelters 624226 – Other Community Housing Services 722330 – Caterers 813910 – Business Associations EDWOSB - Underrepresented industries 238310 – Drywall & Insulation Contractors 238910 – Site preparation contractors 238990 – All other Specialty Trade Contractors 332710 - Machine Shops 333242 – Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing 485510 – Charter Bus Industry 512110 – Motion Picture & Video Production 512191 – Teleproduction and Other Postproduction services 561720 – Janitorial Services 561730 – Landscaping Services 621310 – Offices of Chiropractors 621330 – Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except mental health) 624410 – Childcare services 721110 – Hotels (except casino hotels) and motels 813110 – Religious Organizations Small Business Administration (SBA) – Recognized Eligible Industries

13. WOSB.Certify.SBA.gov – Certification Platform

14. A). Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certificate To be eligible , a business must: Be a small business according to  SBA size standards (*Non-profits org. do not qualif y for either program) . Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens. Have women manage day-to-day operations who also make long-term decisions. B). Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Meet all the requirements of the WOSB Federal Contract program and the following: Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with a personal net worth less than $850,000. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with $400,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each w/ $6.5 million or less for the FMV of personal assets, including primary residence and th e value of the business concern. *Funds invested in an official retirement account are excluded from the assessment of an personal net worth within the programs. *The eligibility requirements to qualify as an EDWOSB are fully defined in  13 C.F.R. § 127.203 .  Eligibility Criteria – WOSB and EDWOSB

15. Getting Started

16. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM) Your firm must have an active registration in SAM. Ensure your firm’s SAM profile has been accurately updated in the last 12 months. Your SAM.gov registration should be set for the purposes of “All Awards” and not limited to “Loans and Grants.” What is SAM.GOV System for Award Management (SAM) contains a suite of systems that are an essential part of the federal award lifecycle. You can use the site to: search for assistance listings, wage determinations, entity registration and exclusion records; register and manage entity information; manage the Federal Hierarchy; post and search in Contract Opportunities; access Contract Data. Step #1: System for Award Management: SAM.gov

17. What is SAM? System for Award Management (SAM) SAM.GOV The System for Award Management (SAM) is an official website platform of the United States government that is a government-wide registry for vendors seeking to do business across Federal agencies. SAM.gov serves as a central registration point for government contractors and there is no charge to register or maintain your organizations entity registration in SAM.gov .   17

18. You will need a login.gov account to use WOSB.Certify.sba.gov Be sure to enter the same email address into your SBA Connect profile. When you list someone as a delegate in SBA Connect, you will be asked to provide an email address for them. When they register in SBA connect, they must use this same email address. You must enter the firm owner’s legal name into the SBA Connect profile. Step #2: Creating an SBA Account

19. You will be asked to enter your firm’s UEI, EIN, and bank account information from SAM.gov to claim your business and begin your WOSB Federal Contract Program application. The Majority Woman Business Owner or other designated Woman Business Owner must claim the business. When creating your SBA connect account, individual contributors must use the same email address that was used by the primary owner to claim the business on SAM. Step #3: Claiming your business at WOSB.Certify.sba.gov

20. Required Documents: Identifying Documents Resume Business Ownership Structure Documents Financial Data 20

21. Identification P roof of U.S. citizenship S tate-issued birth certificate, Certificate of naturalization, or an unexpired passport) for qualifying individual(s) If your name differs from your submitted citizenship document (ex. Marriage), you may have to provide a poof of name change (ex. state filed documents -official name change, marriage license, unexpired passport, unexpired military ID (front and back copy) *Resident alien and holders of permanent visas are not considered to be citizens for program purposes Document Requirements: Identifying Documents November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 21

22. Assessed Resume When assessing the control of a firm SBA will look to make sure that a women-owner unconditionally and directly owns, operates, and controls their business. One element of this process will include SBA reviewing the  women-owners' resume(s)  to make sure they have the highest officer position and relevant experience necessary to run the firm..  Resume Items: Items to have on your Resume: Your current title, responsibilities, and start date within the applicant firm. Description of the services the applicant firm provides. Your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent. Employers; titles; duties; start/end dates. Include current employment and/ownership outside of applicants firm. Your education, trainings, certifications, licenses, or volunteer experience, including any required professional licenses that you hold. Document Requirements: Resume November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 22

23. Required Documents Articles of incorporation and any amendments By-laws and any amendments All issued stock certificates, including the front and back copies signed in accordance with the by-laws (this also applies to all canceled stock certificates) Stock ledger Voting agreements, if any Joint venture agreement, if applicable Assumed/Fictitious name certificate (doing business as or dba), if applicable Ownership Structure: Corporations

24. Required Documents Articles of Incorporation – Signed, dated, and reflecting state filing seal for the domestically filed state Firms operating in another state should submit foreign filing documentation for that state and certificate of good standing from the original domestic state Copies of stock certificates - Front and Back, if issued as a two-sided document. State law dependent Stock Ledger S hould be in chart format & must include all actions including the transfer and/or cancellations of the shares and the dates of the transfer. The detailed listing should include: Name of Business Name of stockholder Date of issuance Number of shares issued Stock Certificate Number (if applicable) Date of transfer/cancellation Who were the shares transferred to? How many shares transferred Total outstanding shares Corporate Bylaws and any amendments If the Bylaws are not signed , Meeting minutes adopting and accepting the Bylaws to include all amendments must be provided Shareholder agreements may be accepted in lieu of corporate bylaws pursuant to the laws of the state where the firm is registered DBA (Doing Business As) or Trade Name Certificate reflecting state filing seal, if applicable Business Documents Meeting minutes - Most recent meeting minutes (signed and dated) noting the election of the officers and directors Joint Venture agreements, if applicable Buy/Sale agreements, if applicable Stock ledger should reflect changes executed from this agreement Ownership Structure Documents: Corporations

25. Document Requirements: Stock lodgers The SBA Required a stock ledger for firms legally organized as corporations when applying for certification, regardless of the state requirement. Contents of a Stock ledger should include business name , the name of each individual and/or company that has been issued a stock certificate, certificate numbers , date of issuance, number of shares issued , share cancellations, share transfers, and an accounting of the total shares outstanding . You must provide the whole history of stock issuance ( to include transfers and cancellations), as well as all pages of the complete stock ledger. For firms whose bylaws require the issuance of stock certificates , the SBA must receive a copy of each issued, transferred, or canceled stock certificate (front and back). November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 25

26. Document Requirements: Corporate Bylaws For firms organized as corporations, bylaws are required documents. You must submit the firm’s bylaws and all amendments to the SBA. If the bylaws are not signed, then the SBA need the signed and dated meeting minutes that adopted the bylaws . Most recent meeting minutes should identify current directors and officers of your organization. Meeting minutes should be completed annually, signed, and dated , noting the election/appointment of the directors and officers . Note: Bylaws often require these positions to be elected/appointed annually. November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 26

27. Business Structure - Partnership Partnership Agreement and any amendments DBA (Doing Business As) or Trade Name Certificate reflecting state filing seal, if applicable Business Structure - Sole Proprietorship DBA (Doing Business As) or Trade Name Certificate reflecting state filing seal, if applicable Required Documents: LLC; Partnerships; Sole Proprietorship Fully executed Operating Agreement and any amendments Articles of Organization and any amendments, signed, dated, and reflecting state filing seal Firms operating in another state should submit foreign filing documentation for that state and certificate of good standing from the original domestic state DBA (Doing Business As) or Trade Name Certificate reflecting state filing seal, if applicable As necessary, business documents Joint Venture agreements, if applicable Buy/Sale agreements, if applicable Limited Liability Company

28. Required Documents – Certification Options: EDWOSB Effective January 31,2023, EDWOSB applicants’ required documents include: Most recent year’s W-2 or 1099 Last two years’ complete individual Federal Income Tax return (to include spouses, if filed separately) to include all tables, statements, and schedules. Last two years’ complete Federa l business tax returns to include all tables, statements, schedules. Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)

29. SBA-approved TPCs: El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Women Business Owners Corporation U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Enterprise National Council When uploading a certificate issued by an approved third-party certifier, be sure to upload the ED/WOSB certificate, NOT one applying to WBE or any other non-WOSB certification. Small Business Administration - Approved Third Party Certifiers (TPCs) November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 29

30. November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 30

31. Branding Badges 31

32. Leveraging Your WOSB / EDWOSB SBA has authorized the use of digital icons for certified firms in SBA’s Federal Contracting/Business Development Programs to better promote certification attainment Firms may only use the digital icons while they maintain their certification. Firms may use the digital icons on their business’: Website , Business cards , Social media profiles , and Capability statements and proposal bids. However, the icons MAY NOT use the digital icon to express or imply endorsement of any goods, services, entities, or individuals. Icons may not be used on a company’s: Letterhead, Marketing materials or Advertising, whether paid or Public Service Announcement (PSA), traditional or digital. Branding Your Awarded Women Owned Small Business November 7, 2022 SB Strategy Strategy & Small Business Performance 32

33. Los Angels County Department of Economic Opportunity Other Resources: Assisting your business grow and thrive

34. Legal Aid for Small Businesses [email protected] FREE legal assistance program for small businesses to receive: Legal Consultation Assistance on topics such as:  B usiness ownership structures,   E ntity formation; Drafting and reviewing commercial leases & employment law   Webinar Trainings Legal Academies LA Regional Small Business Owners Legal Aid Program – Small Business Development (lalegalhelp.org)

35. Shop Local LA County is a countywide effort to engage residents to support small businesses recovering from the pandemic striving to create a thriving local economy by offering: Business engagement strategies Community Engagement strategies Offering an opportunity to sign a pledge and support community located businesses at: SHOP LOCAL LA COUNTY Shop Local LA County Campaign

36. [email protected] Thursday Trainings with OSB Join the Office of Small Business team every 3rd Thursday of the month by registering at bit.ly/ TTrainingsOSB We will cover a different topic every month and here are some of our upcoming topics: Take the Survey and Suggest Topics Today!

37. APEX Accelerator Opportunities Spotlight

38. Etc. Resources Spotlight LA County Library ( https://lacountylibrary.org/ ) : Did you know the Library offers free online classes? From new skills to new languages, diplomas to tutors, they have something for everybody! The Library can help you find the best tools for learning whatever you want! All you need is your library card , PIN, and an internet connection. The library also offers the ability to practice for your food handler's exam. Click here to start practicing. Free Legal Help for LA County’s Small Business Owners : ( LA County Small Businesses Legal Aid Program – Small Business Development ( lalegalhelp.org ) : Provides education and direct representation on a number of legal issues such as: drafting and reviewing contracts, business structure and entity formation; drafting and reviewing commercial leases; other transactional matters like intellectual property; insurance coverage; and bankruptcy. Follow the link above or reach out to [phone] for further info. Small Business Development Centers - SBDC : ( https://smallbizla.org/ ): Provides small business entrepreneurs with no-cost, confidential, one-on-one business advising services along with a variety of free workshops to help you with your business start-up. They also provide no cost webinars for you to learn more about starting a thriving small business. Follow this link to learn more and register: https://smallbizla.org/workshops 8 66-588-7232 SCORE ( https://www.score.org/ ) : An organization composed of professional volunteers with over 20 years of experience as entrepreneurs and small business owners. They will match you up with a confidential one-on-one mentor with professional experience in the same industry as your business and help guide you through the development of your business and financial plan. They also provide a variety of free workshops you can attend to help you along the way.

39. APEX Accelerator Resource Partners Spotlight Project Spectrum Project Spectrum is a comprehensive, proven, and cost-effective digital platform that provides cybersecurity information, tools, resources, and training to organizations including small businesses in the defense industrial base. The program mission is to improve cybersecurity readiness, resiliency, and compliance for small and medium-sized businesses and the federal manufacturing supply chain The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Ba sed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a public-private partnership with Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. MEP Centers and partners have developed various services to enable manufacturers to identify opportunities that will accelerate their growth and improve competitiveness in the global marketplace. The program provides the federal government funding for the MEP National Network™ which was designed to advance U.S. manufacturing. The Mentor-Protégé Program H elps eligible small businesses (protégés) gain capacity and win government contracts through partnerships with more experienced companies (mentors). DoD’s MPP is the oldest continuously operating federal MPP in existence, which has assisted approximately 200 small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military’s supply chain in the past five years. The program helps protégés expand their footprint in the defense industrial base

40. 41 Contact DEO's Office of Small Business – Apex Accelerator program Schedule an Appointment https://bit.ly/APEXAppointment Visit Us? Office Hours Mon – Fri (8:30a – 4:00p) 4716 E Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Bldg B Los Angeles, CA 90022 Call Us 844.432.4900 Email Us [email protected] RSVP for Office of Small Business Upcoming Webinars https://bit.ly/DEOBizEvents

41. Questions For any additional inquiries, feel free to call or e-mail the Los Angeles County APEX Accelerator @:  Phone: [phone] Email:  [email protected]   @EconOppLA