WOSB is the federal designation for small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens. Certification runs through the SBA's online portal — firms can self-certify or use approved third-party certifiers. EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged WOSB) is a tighter sub-category requiring the owner to also meet economic disadvantage thresholds based on personal net worth, income, and assets.
WOSB sole-source authority is limited to specific NAICS codes the SBA has identified as historically underrepresented in federal contracting. Within those NAICS codes, agencies can issue sole-source WOSB or EDWOSB contracts up to specific dollar thresholds. Outside those NAICS codes, WOSB status confers eligibility for set-aside competitions limited to certified firms but no sole-source authority. The federal government has a 5% government-wide spending goal for WOSBs, established in statute.
For women-owned firms, the WOSB pursuit strategy depends heavily on NAICS alignment. Firms in WOSB-designated NAICS codes can target sole-source pursuits as a primary capture strategy — a fundamentally different approach from competed bids. Firms outside designated NAICS codes still benefit from WOSB-set-aside competitions but compete against other certified firms in a narrowed field. Knowing which NAICS codes carry WOSB sole-source authority is an essential input to the capture pipeline.