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Certificate of Competency Program

The Certificate of Competency (COC) program allows a small business to appeal a contracting officer's determination that it is unable to fulfill the requirements of a specific government contract on which it is the apparent low bidder. When the small business applies for a COC, SBA industrial and financial specialists conduct a detailed review of the firm's capabilities to perform on the contract. If the business demonstrates the ability to perform, the SBA issues a COC to the contracting officer requiring the award of that specific contract to the small business.

SBA's procurement assistance effort is greatly strengthened by the Certificate of Competency (COC) program. The Certificate of Competency (COC) program helps ensure that small businesses, especially those that are newly entering into the federal procurement arena, are given a fair opportunity to compete for and receive government contracts.

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