The Standard of Excellence for GovCon
Currently Undergoing Pilot Testing
Public Enrollment Begins in 2027
Successful small business professionals don’t just understand a few pieces of the puzzle. They understand how the entire system works together.
Too often, expertise in one area comes at the expense of visibility into others, creating gaps that can lead to costly mistakes, missed opportunities, compliance issues, and barriers to growth.
The challenge isn’t a lack of information. It’s a lack of integration, consistency, and standards.
The Small Business Professional (SBP) Certification Program™ helps close those gaps. By bringing together the full spectrum of knowledge required for small business and government contracting success, it provides a structured pathway to strengthen expertise, expand perspective, and build confidence across the areas that matter most.
It also measures participants against a practitioner-validated standard of excellence, providing meaningful validation that their knowledge meets the expectations of the profession.
The Small Business Professional (SBP) Certification is a professional credential that validates the knowledge, capabilities, and readiness of individuals who support small businesses in the federal marketplace.
The SBP Certification Program™ brings together 25 critical functional areas into one integrated learning experience, providing foundational knowledge across the full small business lifecycle in the GovCon ecosystem. The rigorous credential, grounded in real-world practice, demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence and the ability to help small businesses compete, perform, and grow.
Program Highlights
Comprehensive Framework for Small Business and Government Contracting
Incorporating 25 functional areas, the Small Business Professional (SBP) Certification Program™ brings all the essential areas of small business and government contracting together within one robust framework.
Built on Industry-Driven Standards
The SBP Certification Program™ is built on a Body of Knowledge developed through consultation with federal agencies, primes, industry experts, and successful government contractors who identified critical skills gaps they see in today’s federal marketplace and the competencies they expect contractors to demonstrate.
Developed by Experienced Subject Matter Experts
Trainings are developed by a distinguished cadre of subject matter experts who have deep, real-world experience across the federal contracting landscape and small business lifecycle, bringing practical knowledge and proven strategies straight from the field.
Designed for Depth, Rigor, and Professional Excellence
The program’s depth and rigor are intentional, ensuring that earning the credential reflects demonstrated competence across the Body of Knowledge and achievement of the industry’s standard of excellence in small business and government contracting.
Value to Participants
Build Your Expertise: Demonstrate that your knowledge has been measured against a comprehensive Body of Knowledge and a practitioner-informed standard of excellence developed specifically for small business government contracting professionals.
Gain End-to-End Competency: Develop a broader understanding of how all aspects of government contracting connect, from business formation and procurement readiness to business development, contract performance, compliance, growth, and long-term sustainability.
Improve Decision-Making: Gain the knowledge needed to navigate complex contracting environments, strengthen compliance, manage risk, and make more informed business decisions that support organizational success.
Increase Professional Credibility: Strengthen your credibility with small businesses, federal agencies, prime contractors, teaming partners, employers, clients, and other stakeholders by earning a recognized professional credential and digital badge.
Stand Out in a Competitive Market: Differentiate yourself in a growing and increasingly competitive GovCon ecosystem by earning a credential designed specifically for professionals serving small businesses in government contracting.
Stay Current: Maintain your credential through continuing education activities that help you stay aligned with evolving federal contracting practices, regulations, and industry expectations.
What the Certification Covers
Topics Covered
Description
Business Foundations
Covers the essential knowledge needed to establish and operate a successful business, including business formation and compliance, business development and growth strategies, human resources, and financial management.
Market Entry and Procurement Readiness
Builds practical knowledge for pursuing government and commercial contracting opportunities, including on SLED and commercial strategies, procurement readiness, SAM.gov, marketing for GovCon, and small business size standards and socioeconomic certifications.
Government Contracting Fundamentals
Develops practical skills for navigating the federal contracting process, including contract types and vehicles, pipeline and capture strategies, responding to government solicitations, small business set-aside programs, and building strong past performance.
Strategic Partnerships and Growth
Explores strategies for expanding business opportunities through subcontracting and teaming, joint ventures and mentor-protégé agreements, and SBIR/STTR programs.
Compliance, Risk, and Security
Provides an overview of the requirements and practices businesses need to manage compliance, risk, and security, including cybersecurity, legal and regulatory compliance, security clearances, and export controls and international trade.
Contract Award and Performance Management
Advanced Ownership and Transition Strategies
Examines options for business growth, ownership changes, and long-term transition planning, including mergers and acquisitions and exit strategies.
Getting Started
Meet the SBP Certification Program™ Manager
“The SBP Certification Program™ is built to empower the professionals who make a difference in small businesses every day. I am excited to help launch a program that recognizes their commitment, strengthens their expertise, and creates new opportunities for professional growth and impact. The impact of this program extends far beyond the individual, creating stronger businesses, stronger communities, and a stronger small business ecosystem.”
—Angela Lee, SBP Certification Program™ Manager
For questions about the SBP Certification Program™, contact Angela at angela.lee@nvsbc.org.
The SBP Certification Program™ was made possible in part through the generous support of JPMorganChase. Its funding helped develop a rigorous, practitioner-informed certification program that promotes professional excellence and strengthens the capacity of professionals serving small businesses in the government contracting community. We are grateful for JPMorganChase’s focus on workforce development, professional growth, and the long-term success of small businesses and the professionals who serve them.
Meet the Experts
Learn about the experienced professionals who bring real-world expertise and insights to the program.
Frequently asked questions
The SBP Certification Program™ is designed for any professional who supports, advises, leads, or grows small businesses in the federal marketplace. The program is particularly valuable for professionals who manage federal contracting activities within their organizations; advise small businesses on government contracting; support supplier diversity or small business engagement programs; help businesses become procurement ready; and want a structured understanding of the full government contracting lifecycle, from business formation and market entry to contract performance, compliance, growth, acquisition, and exit planning
The program was developed to address critical skills gaps identified by federal agencies, primes, industry experts, and successful government contractors in today’s federal marketplace. Whether you are pursuing government contracts, advising clients, managing growth, or supporting procurement readiness, the credential demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of small business and government contracting.
Participants learn through practical content focused on federal contracting and develop expertise across 25 core areas of small business and government contracting.
Participants earn the SBP™ credential by completing the program requirements and demonstrating their knowledge through content mastery assessments.
The SBP Certification Program™ is designed to be completed at the participant’s own pace, however, participants will have one year since their date of enrollment to complete the program to ensure the timeliness and relevancy of the curriculum.
Individuals who complete the requirements earn the SBP™ credential and digital badge as well as a certificate.
Yes. Certified individuals stay current through continuing education requirements. Details are forthcoming.
You’ll receive periodic updates on program development, enrollment dates, pricing, curriculum highlights, recertification requirements, and opportunities to learn more about the SBP Certification Program™ before public enrollment opens. You can join here.
Not yet. Because the SBP Certification Program™ is a new credential, it is not currently eligible for accreditation, as new certification programs must first establish a track record of successful operation before they can be considered by accrediting bodies. We are building the program using industry-recognized certification best practices and intend to pursue accreditation as the program reaches the appropriate stage of maturity.
Pricing will be announced prior to launch in 2027. Please join our interest list or check back soon for updates.
You can email the Program Manager, Angela Lee, at Angela.Lee@nvsbc.org to inquiry about becoming a SME.