Certifying small, local, and diverse businesses can be an important step toward addressing disparities and increasing equity in government contract spending, but how you implement your certification program will determine whether you succeed. If certification programs are burdensome and confusing, they can actually amplify existing inequities. In this quick read, you’ll learn about the benefits of certification programs, how to make your existing certification program less onerous for businesses, and best practices for setting up a new certification program or piggybacking off another existing certification.
