In order to be classified as a "SWaM" business, vendors must be certified as such by the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise (VDMBE). Vendors may request DMBE certification at http://www.dmbe.state.va.us/dbecert.html.

SWaM firms are small businesses and businesses owned and operated by women or minorities. The Commonwealth of Virginia defines these three types of firms as follows:

Small Business
An independently owned and operated business which, together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees, or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years.

Woman-Owned Business
Any business concern that is at least 51% owned by a non-minority woman or women (a minority woman is classified as a minority) who are U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens, or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest in which is owned by one or more women, and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of such individuals.

Minority-Owned Business
A business concern which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more minorities or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest in which is owned by one or more minorities and whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more of such individuals.

A "minority individual" means a person who is a citizen of the United States or a legal resident alien and who satisfies one or more of the following definitions:

• "African Americans" means all persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Africa and who are regarded as such by the community of which these persons claim to be a part.

• "Asian Americans" means all persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands, including but not limited to Japan, China, Vietnam, Samoa, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, Northern Marinas, the Philippines, U. S. territory of the Pacific, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Srilanka and who are regarded as such by the community of which these persons claim to be a part.

• "Eskimos and Aleuts" means all persons having origins in any of the peoples of Northern Canada, Greenland, Alaska, and Eastern Siberia and who are regarded as such in the community of which these persons claim to be a part.

• "Hispanic Americans" means all persons having origins in any of the Spanish speaking peoples of Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands or other Spanish or Portuguese cultures and who are regarded as such by the community of which these persons claim to be a part.

• "Native Americans" means all persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who are regarded as such by the community of which these persons claim to be a part or who are recognized by a tribal organization.