Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise (Go-DBE)


Go-DBE Main Page

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OPTIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TENNESSEE BUSINESSES


The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation to include businesses owned by persons with disabilities as part of the State of Tennessee’s statewide diversity program effective July 1, 2017. What great news this is for the community we serve! Public Chapter 0485 was passed which amended previous Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 12-3-401, 514, and 1102 through 1107 and 1112 (a) through (e).

The amendment to the law to adds a fifth (5th) category to the Go-DBE program known as businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

Businesses owned by persons with disabilities means "a business that is a continuing, independent, for profit business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one (1) or more persons with a disability; or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the stock of which is owned and controlled by one (1) or more persons with a disability and whose management and daily business operations are under the control of one (1) or more persons with at disability".

Disabled owned firms interested in certification may review the Certification Overview on our website for more details on how to apply.

ALL applications received for certification must be entered into the new Tennessee Go-DBE System. All required documentation must be submitted at the time of request in the electronic application.

The Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise is unable to process hard copy documents. The electronic process will allow for more efficient and effective processing of applications for certification and renewals. The Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise (Go-DBE) is the central point of contact to attract and assist minority owned, women owned, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, service-disabled veteran owned and small business enterprises interested in competing in State of Tennessee procurement and contracting activities.

The Go-DBE office will focus our efforts to assist small businesses and businesses owned by minority-owned, women-owned, persons with disabilities and service-disabled veteran owned businesses into becoming viable, successful businesses.

Further it is our charge to assist state agencies and departments with establishing and striving to achieve their annual agency internal goals for the participation and the utilization of minority-owned, woman-owned, persons with disabilities, service-disabled veteran-owned and small business enterprises.

Click on the following link to register for Certification and access the electronic Tennessee Go-DBE System

Link Tennessee Go-DBE System to:
https://tn.diversitysoftware.com/vendorstart.asp


Firms interested in small business certification may review the Certification page for more details on how to apply.

Effective October 3, 2011 ALL applications received for certification must be entered into the new Tennessee Go-DBE System. All required documentation must be submitted in the electronic application. The Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise is unable to process hard copy documents. The electronic process will allow for more efficient and effective processing of applications for certification and renewals.

The Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise (Go-DBE) is the central point of contact to attract and assist minority owned, women owned, service-disabled veteran owned and small business enterprises interested in competing in State of Tennessee procurement and contracting activities.

Public Chapter 0485 (PC0485): Persons with Disabilities

Disability Affidavit

Frequently Asked Questions

Website Documentation Checklist

Certified Businesses with PPEs Supplies and Services

Rural At-Risk and Distressed Counties