Joining as a Corporate Member or becoming a certified ethnic-Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the GMSDC involves a simple three-step process.

1. Complete the Corporate Member or ethnic-Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Application (NOTE: an ethnic-minority-owned business is not a member. Major FORTUNE 500 Corporations are Members.)

2. A) For FORTUNE 500 Corporate type – please submit your application for review, analysis and processing to the GMSDC Corporate Coordinator --Ms. Lorene Gregory.

   B) For ethnic-Minority applicants – please submit your application package to the GMSDC Director of Certification and MBE Services – Mr. Karl Webster Barnes.

3. Notice of Board Approval; Welcome!

New MBE Certification
The certification process is comprehensive and lengthy. The process represents the requirements established by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Inc., and its Corporate Members (FORTUNE 500 and other Buying entities). Once all documents required are provided the timeline for the process may run between 35 to 90 days to complete . If the documentation is incomplete or does not meet our requirements, your company will be contacted. Incomplete information significantly lengthens the entire process (your package goes to the bottom of the applicant pool). Therefore, please do not send an incomplete application.

First, read the INSTRUCTIONS.

Second, attend our FREE Pre-Certification Briefing open to all applicants interested in becoming a certified ethnic-Minority Business Enterprise. Pre-Certification Briefings are hosted on the First (1^st) Tuesday of each month at GMSDC Headquarters. Please Register in the Events Section of our website.

Third, review your accounting and financial information with your Certified Public Accountant. Review your Bylaws, Operating Agreement or Partnership Agreement with your attorney to ensure your documents conform with GMSDC/NMSDC’s certification standards. Review your entire certification package with a trusted advisor.

Fourth, forward the certification package to the GMSDC office. A “submitted” application cannot be returned. Therefore, please do not send an incomplete application. Applications are not returned. The application includes a checklist of “required” items.

Certification Criteria (Refer to Documents Below)

A summary of the criteria is presented below:

1. Company shall be owned by an ethnic-minority that is a U.S. citizen. Ethnic-minorities are defined as: African-American or Black, Asian-Indian American, Asian-Pacific American, Hispanic (non-European), or a documented Native American Indian. The principals must be U.S. citizens.

2. The ethnic-minority shall own, operate, and manage no less than 51 percent of the firm. The applicant firm shall be an independent business, with an independent location and not a “sales arm” of a non-minority firm. The firm shall be an existing operation (not a start-up) with an existing contract or a firm that has an existing (documented) contract with one of the NMSDC Corporate Members. All equity investments shall be true and real, presented on the Balance Sheet, follow the standards of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) . The Balance Sheet must correspond with all other legal documents.

3. The minority owners shall have complete and absolute control and be active in the day-to-day management and daily business operations. Complete control means the ethnic-minority owners shall be able to act independently of the non-minority owners. The ethnic-minority must demonstrate the “capabilities of managing” the firm. If a state charted entity (i.e., corporation, limited liability company or a limited partnership), the ethnic-minority(ies) must demonstrate the ability to manage and control the “chartered” entity, the other shareholders and/or the other unit holders. The ethnic-minority(ies) must have numerical control of the corporation’s Board of Directors and the limited liability company’s Board Members. These operational and control facts must be documented in the Corporate Bylaws, limited liability company’s Operating Agreement or the Limited Partnership’s Agreements.

*Please read this document before attempting  to complete the application. Note: All presented information is reviewed independently, make certain all documents are consistent.  The NMSDC requires that all financial statements (Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement, and Statement of Cash Flow) shall meet Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Please plan your financial accounting and documentation accordingly. Internal or tax basis financial statements are not accepted. Only a current, 2009 GMSDC application, will be accepted.

Fees

·    $500.00 Application/1^st Year Annual Certification Fee (non-refundable)

Download Documents

Business Development Assistance click here 

Timeline of MBE Certification click here 

MBE Reciprocal Services
The GMSDC Reciprocal Services is an annual process that must be started at your home council. Since the GMSDC does not prorate their certification or reciprocal services’ fees, we recommend all reciprocal services’ applicants start their home council recertification process no later than 60 to 90 days prior to your certification expiring. Upon receipt of your home council certificate, then apply for reciprocal services with the GMSDC. By coordinating the processes, we can ensure your GMSDC reciprocal recertification is timely. The expiration of the GMSDC Reciprocal Services’ certification, like all NMSDC regional councils’ Reciprocal Services, now matches your home council expiration. The Reciprocal Services Certification is not considered "Recertification". Please forward only a complete Reciprocal Services’ application to GMSDC office.

Fees

·    $350.00 Annual Reciprocal Services Fee

MBE Recertification & MBISYS Form
Certified MBE shall make an application for renewal of certification on the appropriate forms at least 60 to 90 days prior to the certification expiration date (on your certificate). Certification may be terminated if application for renewal and all required documentation is not received within 60 to 90 days of the request or expiration of certification. Complete the recertification application and MBISYS form in its entirety and forward to GMSDC office. Previous year’s Federal Tax returns are required with your recertification application. If your certification has expired, please call the GMSDC office (before paying) to verify if the council still has your file. The GMSDC no longer maintains expired files. They are removed and destroyed.

NOTE: Your MBE certification anniversary date is extremely important. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure you have your new certificate before your current one expires.

Please Note: The NMSDC requires all financial statements (Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement, and Cash Flow Statement) to meet Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

Fees

·    $350.00 Annual Certification Fee