Reporting on supplier diversity.

Guide · 7 min

How to become a 3M diverse supplier

3M is a $32 billion industrial manufacturer and consumer goods company with formal supplier diversity commitments. This guide covers their registration portal, …

Feb 4, 2026 · Mario Bailey

The 50% rule, explained: limitations on subcontracting for small business

On a set-aside, you can't just win the work and hand most of it to a big prime. FAR 52.219-14 caps what …

Feb 3, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

Is a GSA Schedule worth it? How to get on the Multiple Award Schedule

A GSA Schedule is a contract that lets agencies buy from you faster. It's worth real money for some businesses and a …

Feb 3, 2026 · Mario Bailey

LGBTBE certification: how LGBTQ+-owned businesses get certified through the NGLCC

LGBTBE is a corporate certification, not a federal one. Here's who qualifies, how the NGLCC process works, what it costs, and which …

Feb 2, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Georgia government

Selling to the State of Georgia starts in Team Georgia Marketplace, not a sales call. Here's how to register, where the bids …

Feb 2, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 11 min

Grants for minority-owned businesses: where to actually find them (2026)

Minority business grants are real, but rarer and more competitive than the ads suggest. Here are the legitimate sources, what they actually …

Feb 2, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Jan 30, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

Is MBE certification worth it for winning corporate contracts?

MBE certification is a key, not a contract. Here's the honest case for and against it for corporate work, what it costs, …

Jan 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Article · 9 min

Fortune 500 Supplier Diversity Spending: Where the $50 Billion+ Opportunity Lies

Where the corporate diverse-supplier dollars actually go: Billion Dollar Roundtable membership, top public commitments by company, the industries that lead, and how …

How to do business with the Florida government

Selling to Florida starts with a free vendor registration in MyFloridaMarketPlace, then a state certification through the Office of Supplier Development. Here's …

Jan 30, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How a diverse-owned cleaning company wins commercial and government contracts

Cleaning is one of the few categories where a diverse certification actually moves a buyer's hand. Here's which certifications matter, who buys, …

Jan 29, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Jan 29, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

7 Financing Options for Certified Diverse Businesses in 2026

Seven financing channels that still work for certified diverse businesses in 2026, with per-program status after the 2025 pullback: CDFIs, SBA 7(a) …

How to sell to Amazon as a certified diverse supplier: the two paths, kept separate

Selling to Amazon as a diverse supplier means two different things. One is becoming a vendor to Amazon the corporation. The other …

Jan 28, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 10 min

Federal vs Third-Party Certifications: How to Build Your Strategy

Federal certifications and third-party certifications open different markets, run on different rules, and pay back on different timelines. A practical sequencing framework …

Jan 28, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to do business with the Delaware government

Selling to Delaware comes down to three free moves: register on MyMarketplace, get your OSD diverse-business or small-business certification, and watch the …

Jan 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Jan 27, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

Guide · 10 min

How to register on SAM.gov: the step-by-step a small business actually needs

Registering on SAM.gov is free and not that hard, but one validation step trips up most first-timers. Here's the order to do …

Jan 27, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Article · 12 min

Federal Supplier Diversity in 2026: The New Landscape and What It Means for Your Business

January 2025 marked the most significant shift in federal supplier diversity policy in decades. Here's what actually changed, what remains intact, and …

How to do business with the Connecticut government

Selling to Connecticut runs through two systems: CTsource to register and bid, and DAS supplier-diversity certification to reach the 25% set-aside. Here's …

Jan 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Jan 26, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com

Guide · 15 min

How to Haul Freight for Walmart, Target & Amazon as a Minority-Owned Trucking Company

Major retailers spend billions on freight annually and actively recruit diverse carriers. Here's exactly how to get your trucking company into their …

Guide · 10 min

Federal set-asides explained: 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, and sole-source

Set-asides are how the government reserves contracts for small and diverse businesses. Here's how the small business and socioeconomic set-asides work, and …

Jan 26, 2026 · Mario Bailey

How to get into corporate supplier diversity programs: the Fortune 500 pipeline

Big corporations spend billions a year with certified diverse suppliers. Getting into their programs follows a pattern: get the right certification, register …

Jan 23, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Article · 7 min

Federal Government Exceeds SDVOSB Goals: $31.9 Billion to Veteran-Owned Businesses

The federal government awarded $31.9 billion to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in FY2024, exceeding its 5% goal. Learn how veterans can access …

Jan 23, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Jan 22, 2026 · SupplierDiversity.com Editorial Team

DBE certification: how to get certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

DBE certification opens federally-funded highway, transit, and airport work, and it's free to apply. Here's who qualifies under the 2025 and 2026 …

Jan 22, 2026 · Mario Bailey

Guide · 12 min

Federal Government Contracting for Diverse Businesses: Your 2025 Roadmap to $183 Billion

Federal small-business contracting hit $183B in FY2024. The four major set-aside programs (8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone), what each spent, who's certified, and …