Central (CERT) Certification Program has Transitioned from the City of Saint Paul
Central (CERT) Certification Program has Transitioned from the City of Saint Paul
Think Before You Click. All requests for information will be sent through the CERT portal.
The CERT certification collaborative is thrilled to announce an exciting new development in our commitment to supporting small, women, and minority-owned business enterprises. The day-to-day management of the Central (CERT) Certification Program is transitioning from the City of Saint Paul to an outside company, Strong & Starlike Consulting, Inc. Following a Request for Proposals process last fall, Strong & Starlike Consulting, Inc. was awarded a contract to manage the CERT program. This website will serve as your main hub for updates on what is taking place with the transition.
What has Transitioned
The following aspects of the day-to-day management of the CERT Program has transitioned:
Processing of certification applications received through the CERT website at https://cert.smwbe.com/
Processing of certification applications received through the State Portal located at https://sbcp.mn.gov/
CERT Monthly Workshops (virtual)
Communication with CERT about applications (phone calls, e-mails, messages in the CERT website located at https://cert.smwbe.com/)
What is Still Held by the City of Saint Paul & the CERT Board:
Attending outreach events in the community
Serving as a decision makers on appeals to a certification decision
What is the Timeline for the Transition:
The transition began in June 2024 with the first phase of the transition completed the beginning of August 2024
Additional aspects of the transition will be completed in Q2 of 2025.
What Do I Need to Do as a CERT Business or a Business Applying for CERT:
Overall, during the transition period there may be some slight delays on processing applications; responding to support tickets; and responding to change requests made through the CERT system.
During the transition, businesses may continue to apply for "New" certifications applications. However, the processing of "New" applications during this time will be on hold until July 2024.
During the transition, "Recertification" and "Reciprocal" applications will continue to be processed.
During the transition, requests like Support Tickets and Change Requests may experience a delay until August 2024.
One aspect of the transition is a "Database Clean Up". Businesses that are currently certified will receive an e-mail requesting to ensure that your business information in the CERT database is accurate and up to date. All certified businesses must respond to the request during this time. More information on the database clean up may be found here.
Dear CERT Businesses:
Since July of last year, the CERT Program has been making updates to improve the integrity of our database as the management of the program has transitioned to a third-party, Strong & Starlike Consulting, Inc. (see prior notice of the transition on the City of Saint Paul’s website here; stay updated on the transition here). A key requirement of being CERT-certified is that businesses are small based on annual revenue or number of employees meeting the small business size standards. Assessing the annual revenue standard is completed by reviewing tax returns and financial documents from applicants. In an effort to align with policies and procedures of other entities and to ensure we are receiving accurate information from all applicants, we are making the following changes effective April 15, 2025, for all applicants:
Tax Returns Required: In the past applicants could submit financial statements if they did not have tax returns available. Effective April 15, 2025, tax returns must be submitted. We do not want more information than is needed. So, applicants may redact personal data (ex: SSN, spouse or family personal data) from the tax returns or other unnecessary information when submitting. What is most essential for us is the annual revenue reported to the IRS in your return.
Number of Years of Tax Returns: Previously, 3 years of tax returns were accepted by those processing applications. Effective April 15, 2025, 5 years of tax returns should be submitted. If your firm is applying for recertification around the time your certification expires, we would have the prior 2 years of the returns such that we would only need the updated 3 years of returns. For new applicants, if you have been in business less than 5 years, then submit returns for the years you have been in business.
What Do You Need to Do Now:
No further action is required on your part.
If you have applied prior to April 15th your application will be processed in accordance with what the certification specialist assigned to your application has noted in correspondence with you.
If you are responding to database clean up requests and have already submitted updated materials, no additional action is needed on your part.
Thank you,
The CERT Program Team
Starting in February 2025, the CERT Monthly Workshops are returning virtually. You may learn more about this or register for a workshop here.