Set-Aside Eligibility Check
Answer nine questions and see which federal small-business set-aside programs you may qualify for — 8(a), WOSB, EDWOSB, HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB, and SDB. Free, no account, and nothing leaves your browser.
Preliminary results
- 8(a) Business DevelopmentNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% U.S. citizen ownership and control, socially disadvantaged ownership, and meeting SBA economic disadvantage thresholds.
Read the 8(a) Business Development guide - Small Disadvantaged BusinessNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% U.S. citizen ownership and control, socially disadvantaged ownership, and meeting SBA economic disadvantage thresholds.
Read the Small Disadvantaged Business guide - Women-Owned Small BusinessNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% U.S. citizen ownership and control, and 51% ownership and control by women.
Read the Women-Owned Small Business guide - Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small BusinessNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% U.S. citizen ownership and control, 51% ownership and control by women, and meeting SBA economic disadvantage thresholds.
Read the Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business guide - Veteran-Owned Small BusinessNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard and 51% ownership and control by veterans.
Read the Veteran-Owned Small Business guide - Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small BusinessNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% ownership and control by veterans, and service-disabled veteran ownership.
Read the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business guide - HUBZoneNeeds more info
Still need to know about qualifying as small under the SBA size standard, 51% U.S. citizen ownership and control, a principal office in a designated HUBZone, and at least 35% of employees residing in a HUBZone.
Read the HUBZone guide
This is a screening aid, not a determination. Only the U.S. Small Business Administration can determine eligibility for these programs, and most of them require formal SBA certification before you may bid on a set-aside. Confirm your status with the SBA or your local APEX Accelerator, which provides this counseling free of charge.
Why set-asides matter
The federal government sets annual goals for the share of contract dollars awarded to small businesses and to specific categories within that group. When a contracting officer sets a solicitation aside, only firms holding that status may compete — which means a qualifying small business competes against a handful of peers rather than against established primes.
For a small contractor, the certification you hold is often the single largest determinant of how many winnable opportunities exist in your pipeline. It is worth knowing precisely which programs you qualify for, and which you could qualify for with a deliberate change.
Certification is not optional
The most consequential misunderstanding in this area is that eligibility and certification are the same thing. They are not. Meeting the criteria makes you eligible to apply; only the certification makes you eligible to bid. WOSB and EDWOSB self-certification ended in October 2020, and VOSB/SDVOSB certification moved from the VA to the SBA in January 2023 — both changes caught firms that assumed their old self-certified status still counted.
Small Disadvantaged Business is the exception: it remains self-certified through your SAM.gov representations.
Frequently asked questions
What are federal set-aside programs?
Federal set-asides are contracts reserved for specific categories of small business, so that qualifying firms compete against each other rather than against large primes. The main programs are 8(a) Business Development, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB), HUBZone, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), and Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB).
Which set-aside programs require SBA certification?
Most of them. 8(a) and HUBZone have always required formal SBA certification. WOSB and EDWOSB have required certification since October 2020, ending the old self-certification route. VOSB and SDVOSB certification moved from the VA to the SBA in January 2023. Small Disadvantaged Business remains self-certified through your SAM.gov representations.
Can I bid on a set-aside contract before I am certified?
No. For programs that require certification, you must hold the certification at the time of offer to be eligible for award under that set-aside. Misrepresenting status carries serious legal consequences, including False Claims Act liability. If you are still in the certification process, you can compete on full and open solicitations in the meantime.
How do I know if my business counts as small?
SBA size standards are set per NAICS code — some are based on average annual revenue, others on employee count. The size standard that matters is the one attached to the NAICS code on the specific solicitation, not your primary NAICS. A business can be small for one opportunity and other than small for another.
Is this eligibility check an official determination?
No. It is a preliminary screening aid based on the answers you provide. Only the SBA can determine eligibility for these programs. Use the result to decide which programs are worth pursuing, then confirm with the SBA or a free APEX Accelerator counselor before relying on it.
Can a business qualify for more than one set-aside program?
Yes, and many do. A service-disabled veteran-owned firm in a HUBZone whose owner is also socially and economically disadvantaged could qualify for SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), and SDB simultaneously. Holding multiple certifications widens the set of solicitations you can compete for.
Find opportunities matched to your certifications
Fedprocai scores every SAM.gov opportunity against your company profile — including the set-asides you hold — so the solicitations you can actually win rise to the top. The free tier includes opportunity discovery.