The Solution,
As part of the certification process, GATEWAY performs the following activities for clients seeking the benefits of the various federal, state, city and local certification programs:

	Full Consultation & Certification Analysis
	Gateway’s Certification Services
	Gateway’s Consulting Services

Full Consultation & Certification Analysis
Prior to beginning a relationship with the GATEWAY a thorough and in-depth Certification Analysis is required of every potential client. This service assists applicants in confirming their eligibility for one or more federal and private sector certification programs. This service apprises and determines which programs the applicant will or will not qualify for and which certification is best for its particular business and notifies the applicant of any red flags in regard to their eligibility.

Gateway’s Certification Services
Specifically, the certification services GATEWAY provides to Disadvantaged Businesses Owners seeking certification include the following:

	Due diligence of all documents required to assemble the application.
	Detailed analysis and review of required additional documents.
	Assistance in procuring required documents .
	Prepare the Disadvantaged Businesses Affirmative Action Plan as applicable to certification.
	Prepare Business Background for each owner, shareholder, partner and/or director.
	Create Ownership History.
	Prepare Disadvantaged Businesses Certificate of Competency and Job Description for each owner, shareholder, partner, director, manager and department head.
	Assistance in selecting appropriate SIC NAICS Codes for future procurement sources.
	Assist in preparation of Personal Statement of Net Worth for DBE/SBE/8(a) for each owner, shareholder, partner and/or director.
	Preparation of Two-Year Business Waiver when applicable.
	Complete application preparation.
	Application Submittal & Tracking.
	Day to Day and detailed correspondence, Point of Contact for certification agency.
	Bounded copy of all applications, with index for easy reference.
	Additional services are provided based on the requirements of each client and specific applications.

Although there is an exhaustive list of required documents for each application, certifying agencies often require additional information that is not originally requested, but rather, an outgrowth of the initial information provided. Additional request for documents can prolong the application process, sometimes by years. GATEWAY assesses the applicants’ business background and application, and then proactively suggests documentation to ensure the certification is processed and expedited upon submission. Once certified, Disadvantaged Businesses Owners achieve preferential access to bid for contracts that are related to their respective business concerns.

Gateway’s Consulting Services
Once successfully certified, GATEWAY will then provide the Disadvantaged Business Owner with marketing assistance to properly market their company with the federal, state and city agencies, associations and private organizations.

GATEWAY assists certified organizations procure new relationships, through direct marketing, within the private and public procurement sector and specifically within Corporate 500 Supplier Diversity Programs (SDP’S). This consists of compiling a portfolio for the certified Disadvantaged Business Owner which is then followed by sending out the portfolio to various contracting officers to discuss doing business with the respective governmental agency and/or private organization.

Consulting services include:
	Customized sales and marketing campaigns targeting Corporate Supplier Diversity Markets or Public Sector Procurement.
	Prepare and manage Supplier Diversity Vendor Application Preparation.
	Submittal and Track Supplier Diversity Applications.
	Additional Vendor Application Verification/Confirmation.
	Customer sales and marketing campaigns targeting the Public.
	Procurement Sector.
	Additional services, such as Bid and RFP support.

We connect our clients with SDP’S both locally and nationally based on each client’S opportunities, capacity, individual expertise and strategic goals. The Company will help applicants determine which companies to apply with for Preferred Vender Status as a certified women or minority owned business. Additionally, we will maintain and ensure that successfully certified companies are on approved vendor lists and assist our clients in responding to "Request for Proposal" (RFP’S).