 Supplier Clearinghouse FAQs Q: What is the official name of the Woman Minority Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (WMDVBE) program?
A: The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) recently changed the name to the Utility Supplier Diversity Program and it is now referred to by that name on the CPUC website.
Q: What are verification and certification?
A: Verification is the process of determining that a company is truly a woman and / or minority business enterprise (WMBE). Certification is the issuing of a certificate showing WMBE status.
Q: What are women and minority business enterprises?
A: WMBEs are companies that are at least 51% owned and controlled by women and / or minorities. The ownership and control by minorities or women must be real, substantial, and continuing, not just paper ownership. The businesses must be independent organizations, not relying on non-minority firms or individuals to the extent that they are not in control of their business destinies.
Q: Who qualifies as a minority?
A: Black / African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic / Latino Americans (including Portuguese), and Asian / Pacific Americans. The latter group includes those with ancestry in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Pacific islands, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Proof of minority status is required.
Q: Is it necessary to be an American citizen?
A: No; permanent residents (green card holders) can also be certified.
Q: Can businesses of any size be certified?
A: The Clearinghouse has no restrictions on either the size of the business or the personal wealth of the owners. Some other certifying agencies do have such restrictions.
Q: What is the advantage of certification?
A: Many large businesses and government agencies perceive it to be to their advantage to encourage the development of woman and minority businesses. Certification allows those organizations to know that they are dealing with genuine WMBEs.
Q: Who are the participating utilities?
A:  for the list.
Q: What does the Supplier Clearinghouse do?
A: The Supplier Clearinghouse is operated by ASIAN, Inc, under contract to the California Public Utilities Commission. It certifies WMBEs wishing to do business with the investor-owned public utilities in California (electric, gas, telecommunication and water companies). Clearinghouse certificates must be renewed periodically (at least once every three years). We will remind you when you are due for re-verification (assuming you have kept us informed of your current address).
The Clearinghouse is not contracted to make any determination of your technical competence or financial stability, nor to assist you in obtaining contracts.
Q: What type of business can be certified?
A: Almost any kind. We certify proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, LLCs, LLPs, and some non-profits operating in the United States. They can be large or small, prime or sub-contractors, and are in many different lines of work. Start-up firms may apply, but the company must be operating and conducting business at the time they apply to the Clearinghouse. If you think there is any way to do business with the public utilities, certification may be helpful to you.
Q: Do I need to be a California company to be certified by the Clearinghouse?
A: No. We certify companies located all over the United States.
Q: Do I need to be doing business in California?
A: No. Several of the large telephone companies operate both in and outside of California, and accept Clearinghouse certification in those other states as well.
Q: What do I need to do to become certified?
A: Fill out an application and send it along with the required documents to the Clearinghouse. The forms can be downloaded and printed from this page. There is some work required in assembling all of the required documents, but there is no charge for certification other than that the original application must be notarized. Because the CPUC requires original signatures, the application cannot be filled out on-line.
Q: How long does it take to complete the process after I submit the application?
A: It varies considerably. Generally, it takes approximately 45 to 90 days. The process can be shorter or longer depending on various factors, such as the size of the company or affiliations with non-WMBE firms or individuals. We may request for supplemental documents and conduct an on-site examination of your firm or perform an extensive telephone interview if you are located out of state. The certification process will also be longer if your application is incomplete or inconsistent and we have to ask for more information so be sure to provide all the requested information accurately.
If you use a Comparable Agency Verification (CAV), it takes approximately one week to complete. However, if the CAV is refrained, it will take more time to process.
Q: Is the information on my application made public?
A: Normal advertising information - company name, contact person, address, phone, and services provided - are posted on the Public Utility Commission's website. The rest of your application is maintained in strict and secure confidentiality.
Q: I am looking for WMDVBE subcontractors. How can I find the list of currently certified WMDVBE firms?
A: Go to the CPUC website: www.cpuc.ca.gov and click on the "Utility Supplier Diversity" link (located on the lower left-hand side).
Q: What is Comparable Agency Verification (CAV)?
A: On a one-time basis, the Clearinghouse will accept certification by certain other certifying agencies (see list) as proof of WMBE status, and will grant certification in most cases without requiring other supporting documentation, providing that there have been no major changes in ownership or business structure since the CAV was issued. See for the list. Only the agencies on the list are acceptable as comparable agencies, and Clearinghouse certification will expire on the same day as that of the other agency. Because of different requirements such as business size, the fact that the Clearinghouse accepts another agency's certificate does not necessarily mean that the other agency will accept a Clearinghouse certificate.
As a quality control measure, the CPUC has given the Clearinghouse permission to refrain from automatic acceptance of a CAV if there is reason to believe that it may not meet Clearinghouse standards. In that case, the Clearinghouse will request further documentation, and may conduct a site visit or extensive interview, before making a recommendation to the CPUC.
In addition, the Clearinghouse can no longer accept a CAV for renewal by a firm that is already CAV-certified. All such firms will have to complete the regular application process. In most cases they will be considered first-time applicants. However, if they were originally Clearinghouse certified and then switched to a CAV, a reverification application (RAP) may be acceptable with prior Clearinghouse approval.
Q: Does being certified mean that I will automatically get contracts from the utilities?
A: Unfortunately, no. Certification is a useful tool, but you still need to do your own marketing. You may, however, be contacted and asked to bid on certain contracts. Being certified means primarily that the utilities will be more receptive to your marketing efforts. In the application package we include a list of the participating utilities and contract numbers; after that, you're on your own. Good luck!
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