| Designation | Ownership Definition | Certifying Agency |
| Certified African American Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an African American individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. African Americans have origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Asian American Owned Business (Includes Asian Pacific and Asian Indian categories) | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an Asian American individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. Asian is the ethnicity of an individual whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Samoa, Guam, US Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas. | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Asian-Indian Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an Asian Indian American individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. Asian Indian is the ethnicity of an individual whose origins are from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh . | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Asian-Pacific Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an Asian Pacific American individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. Asian Pacific is the ethnicity of an individual whose origins are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Samoa, Guam, US Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas. | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Disabled Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a disabled individual or individuals. | Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Hispanic Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a Hispanic American individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. Hispanic is the ethnicity of an individual whose origins are from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of Latin America or the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin . | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Native American Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a Native American individual(s) with U.S. Citizenship. Native American is the ethnicity of an individual whose origins are from American Indians, Aleuts, Eskimos and Native Hawaiians. | National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC) or its Regional Affiliates, Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Woman Owned Business | Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a female individual(s) with U.S. citizenship. | Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Various State, Local and Private Agencies |
| Classified Small Business | Business that meets "small" ownership criteria and Business Size Standard for their industry, as defined by the SBA | Non-Certified Businesses, Size Criteria Obtained from 3rd Party Sources |
| Certified Small Disadvantages Business (SDB) | SBA Certified Small Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a socially and economically disadvantages individual(s) | Small Business Administration (SBA) |
| Certified HUBZone Small Business | SBA Certified Small Business, located in distressed area (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) and is eligible for certain federal contracting opportunities. | U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) |
| Certified Veteran Owned Small Business | Certified Small Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a Veteran(s) of the U.S. Armed Forces with U.S. citizenship. | Various State and Local Agencies |
| Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business | Certified Small Business that is at least 51% owned and operated by a Service Disabled Veteran(s) of the U.S. Armed Forces with U.S. citizenship. | Various State and Local Agencies |
| Classified Historically Black College or University | Historically Black Colleges and Universities are post secondary academic institutions founded prior to 1964, whose educational mission has historically been the education of African Americans | No Certification Process, Classifications from 3rd Party Sources |