Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE)
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The Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) certifies small businesses owned and controlled by minority, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged persons. OMWBE certifies business in order to increase contracting opportunities for certified businesses with state and local governments.
In addition to certifying businesses, OMWBE provides support services for state certified businesses in navigating their state certification and to experience the benefits of being certified with OMWBE.
Per state law, OMWBE annually reports spending by state agencies and educational institutions with certified minority- and women-owned businesses. OMWBE also reports state agency spending with veteran-owned firms certified by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and businesses registered in WEBS as Small by the Department of Enterprise Services (DES).
OMWBE participates in the Subcabinet on Business Diversity which promotes equity in the procurement of state contracts with private businesses. This is done through a variety of implementation strategies, from developing the roadmap to contracting equity, to community of practice, to informing the newly unveiled Executive Order 22-01 (Executive Order for Equity in Public Contracting).