MBE Certification for Telecommunications Companies

For businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by one or more minority group members.

Telecommunications offers some of the largest diverse supplier programs in the world. Here's why certification matters:

Billion Dollar Roundtable Members: AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast NBCUniversal are all charter or long-standing members of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, each spending over $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers. AT&T alone has spent over $230 billion with diverse suppliers since it began tracking this metric.

Regulatory Expectations: State public utility commissions, such as the CPUC in California, require telecommunications companies to report diversity procurement. Verizon reported over $5.7 billion in diverse supplier spending in 2024. T-Mobile exceeded $1.4 billion in diverse spend in California alone in 2023.

Infrastructure Investment: The telecom industry is investing heavily in 5G deployment, fiber-to-the-home expansion, and data center construction. These massive capital projects require contractors, material suppliers, equipment vendors, and professional services firms—creating opportunities for diverse suppliers at all tiers.

Broad Procurement Needs: Telecom companies buy everything from network construction and fiber installation to marketing, fleet management, facilities services, IT consulting, and customer equipment. Diverse suppliers across many industries can sell into telecom.

BEAD Program: The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is distributing $42.45 billion to expand broadband access. This creates additional subcontracting opportunities for diverse suppliers in broadband construction and deployment.

Note: Several major carriers have been restructuring their diversity programs in 2025 in response to evolving legal and regulatory landscapes. However, the scale of telecom procurement with diverse suppliers remains substantial.

Must be at least 51% owned by minority individuals (African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, or Asian-Pacific American).

MBE eligibility turns on two requirements: ethnic minority status and genuine ownership and control. Both must be documented and verifiable.

Ethnic minority ownership The business must be at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by U.S. citizens who belong to one or more of the following groups:

• African American
• Hispanic American
• Native American (including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians)
• Asian-Pacific American (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, and related groups)
• Asian-Indian American (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and related groups)

Mixed-race ownership qualifies if the applicant self-identifies with a qualifying group and the identification is genuine and not adopted solely for certification purposes.

Ownership: the 51% rule The minority owner(s) must hold at least 51% of the equity in the business, unconditionally and without any arrangement that allows a non-minority party to recapture ownership. Phantom equity, vesting provisions favoring non-minority investors, or options that dilute below 51% will be scrutinized.

Control: management and operations Minority owner(s) must:

• Hold the highest executive position (President, CEO, or Managing Member)
• Make day-to-day operational decisions independently
• Have authority over major financial decisions: signing contracts, accessing credit, approving expenditures
• Control cannot be delegated or effectively transferred to a non-minority individual through an employment agreement, a management contract, or an informal arrangement

Business requirements

• For-profit enterprise operating in the U.S.
• At least one year in business (some regional councils will waive this for businesses between 6-12 months with strong revenue history)
• Must be a going concern: active clients, real operations, not a shell
• Cannot be a franchise unless the franchisor itself is majority-minority-owned

Step 1: Identify your regional affiliate council NMSDC does not process applications directly. All certification is handled by one of 23 regional affiliate councils. Go to nmsdc.org, find the council covering your state, and read its specific instructions before starting. Timeline expectations, portal systems, and site-visit processes vary by council. Some councils use the national NMSDC portal; others use their own.

Step 2: Gather documents before opening the application Most council portals time out or lose progress. Assemble everything before you start: three years of personal and business tax returns, a current P&L and balance sheet, articles of incorporation or organization, your operating agreement or bylaws, stock certificates or membership ledger showing the minority owner's percentage, a current business license, and a photo ID for each minority owner. If your business has clients, have a few representative contracts or purchase orders ready; some councils request them.

Step 3: Submit the online application and pay the fee Fees are set by each regional council and scale with company revenue: $350-$650 for most small businesses, up to $1,250 for larger companies. Pay promptly; some councils don't begin review until the fee clears. The application itself takes 2-4 hours for a first-time applicant. Inconsistencies between your answers and your documents are the most common reason for follow-up requests that delay processing.

Step 4: Prepare for the site visit After application review, the council schedules an on-site verification. This typically occurs 30-60 days after submission. The reviewer will visit your actual place of business, speak with the minority owner, and may talk with employees. The purpose is to verify that operations match the application and that the minority owner is genuinely in charge. Have the minority owner lead the visit. If the business is home-based, the reviewer visits the home office.

Step 5: Certification committee review and decision After the site visit, the council's certification committee reviews the full file. Most councils issue a decision within 60-90 days of a complete application. If additional information is requested, respond within the stated deadline; late responses push your file to the back of the queue.

Step 6: Activate your profile in the national database Once certified, update your profile in NMSDC's national supplier database immediately. Corporate buyers search this database when building diverse supplier pipelines. An incomplete profile means missed matchmaking opportunities. Include NAICS codes, capability keywords, and relevant certifications you hold.

Federal Opportunities

Key agencies purchasing telecom products and services:

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Regulatory technology, broadband programs
• Department of Defense (DoD): Military communications, satellite systems, cybersecurity
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Emergency communications, network security
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): Broadband deployment programs including BEAD

Key Programs and Contracts

• Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) - GSA's $50B government-wide telecom contract
• BEAD Program - $42.45B for broadband expansion with subcontracting opportunities
• FirstNet (AT&T) - National public safety broadband network
• GSA MAS for IT and telecommunications equipment and services

Categories of Government Telecom Procurement

• Network infrastructure design and installation
• Managed network services
• Unified communications (UCaaS)
• Cybersecurity for telecom infrastructure
• Fiber optic cable installation
• Wireless tower construction and maintenance
• Satellite communications
• Video conferencing and collaboration tools

State and Local

State broadband offices administering BEAD funds, municipal broadband projects, school district connectivity (E-Rate program), and public safety communications all create telecom contracting opportunities.