General Information / Overview
The Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB Office) launched its new Statewide Uniform Certification (SWUC) program on July 1, 2009. SWUC was developed to (1) streamline the certification process, (2) reduce the redundancy in certifying minority, women and disabled-owned businesses, and (3) create a centralized SWUC vendor database comprised of HUB and minority/women-owned businesses
Effective October 15, 2009, only firms certified in the SWUC Program will be counted towards minority participation goals on state contracts. Local governments (Asheville, Charlotte, Durham, Greenville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and New Hanover County) may no longer certify minority or women-owned businesses
Eligibility for HUB Certification under the SWUC Program
In accordance with N.C.G.S. 143-128.4 the term "Historically Underutilized Business" (HUB) means a business that meets all of the following conditions:
(1) At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the business is owned by one or more persons who are members of at least one of the groups set forth in subsection (b) below
(2) The management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more owners of the business who are members of at least one of the groups in subsection (b) below
(b) To qualify as a HUB, a business must be owned and controlled by one or more citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States who are members of one or more of the following groups: (1) Black, (2) Hispanic, (3) Asian American, (4) American Indian, (5) Female, (6) Disabled – a person with a disability as defined in N.C.G.S. 168A-3(7a), and (7) Disadvantaged – a person who is socially and economically disadvantaged as defined in 15 U.S.C. 637
Click here to apply for HUB Certification under the SWUC Program