• Your business is a for-profit enterprise.

• Your business is physically located in the United States or its trust territories.

• Your business is at least 51% ethnic minority owned. Ethnic minority owned is defined as any business having owner(s) belonging to the following minority groups:

  • African-American having origins in any black racial groups of Africa (not of Hispanic origin)

  • Hispanic whose origin is from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, or Hispanic cultures or descents

  • Asian/ and Pacific Islanders whose origin is from Japan, China, the Phillippines, Vietnam, Korea, Samoa, Guam, U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific, Northern Marianas, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, India, Pakistan and Bankladesh

  • Native American having origins in any of the American/Alaskan Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians.  All American/Alaska Indians must be documented members of a federally recognized tribal entity.

• The minority/ethnic owner(s) of the business are U.S. citizens.

• The minority/ethnic owner(s) of the business must be active in management and daily business operations.

• The minority owner(s) shall possess the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the firm and shall possess the capability of making day-to-day as well as major decisions on matters of management, policy and operations of the firm.  There shall be no restriction on the minority owner's ability to control which would prevent the minority owner from making a business decision without the cooperation or vote of a non-minority person.  Such control shall be known or at least tacitly acknowledged in day-to-day operations by employees and business references of the business.  Where licenses are required to perform the functional mission of the company, such licenses shall be held in the name and/or independent control of minorities.

• The minority ownership and control shall be real and continuing and not created solely to take advantage of special programs aimed at minority business development.

• The minority owner(s) shall enjoy the customary incidents of ownership and shall share in the risks and profits and shall have contributed capital, equipment and/or expertise to the business commensurate with his/her percentage of ownership.

• The Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council reserves the right to deny or revoke certification for cause at any time.

Certification Documentation

(documents will vary by business types – below is a sample for corporations)

• The History of Business
• Certificate of Incorporation
  
• Articles of Incorporation
  
• Stock Certificates and Stock Ledger
  
• Minutes to Board of Director’s meetings as well as Shareholder’s meetings
  
• Bylaws (executed and attested) and Amendments (if applicable)
  
• All agreement(s) pertaining to ownership, operation, and control of the business
  
• Business cards that list appropriate corporate titles, copies of resumes, copy of driver’s licenses and proof of US Citizenship (Birth certificates or U.S. Passports only) for all Principals
  
• Corporate Bank Resolution Agreement(s) to include Bank Signature Card(s)
  
• Business Lease Agreement(s) (and Security Deeds if home-based)
  
• Proof of general liability insurance and in some cases bonding
  
• Copies of the businesses’ cancelled checks
  
• Most recent years' federal taxes with associated schedules
  

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​Out of Region Subscription Services*

The Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Premium Subscription is a select add-on that provides a multitude of value-added services for MBEs. The Premium Subscription was created upon recognizing the need to help businesses make a greater impact in the marketplace. MBEs are not required to purchase the Premium Subscription Services.

Please note Subscribers will receive the Basic NMSDC Services in addition to the Premium D/FW MSDC Services listed in the table below:

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Subscription Fees

• Class 1 - $350 - Under $1,000,000 (Gross Sales)
• Class 2 - $450 - $1,000,001 - 10,000,000 (Gross Sales)
  
• Class 3 - $700 - $10,000,001 - $50,000,000 (Gross Sales)
  
• Class 4 - $850 - $50,000,001 and over (Gross Sales)
  

*WHAT IS A SUBSCRIPTION -- A subscription is an agreement to receive or be given access to an NMSDC Affiliate Council's products or services, such as those listed below for D/FW MSDC. Each NMSDC Affiliate Council has a set of subscription services to offer certified MBEs that choose to do business outside their home council. These services are either bundled or a pay-as-you-go offering. Some services are specific to a dominant industry or are unique to the region or market in the service area. Other services are based on the ability to provide specialized services, such as office rental or technology support. The subscription service period for the certified MBE is equivalent to the certification period with their home Council. For example, if MBE X is certified in Michigan with MMSDC from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2016, then the purchased subscription service runs from those same dates for subscription services for D/FW MSDC. Subscription services would expire on January 1, 2016 in our example.

​Click here to download the Out-of-Region Subscription Services Application