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Pathway to Certification

Builders construction

Energy Trust of Oregon and Professional Business Development Group (PBDG) are working together to help support your business in getting certified through the Certification Office of Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) of Oregon. This form will take around 10-15 minutes to complete and all information will be held in confidence. This service is being provided by Energy Trust at no cost to your business and is available for existing Trade Allies and contractors interested in enrolling in the network. Your company must be COBID eligible to qualify for the Pathway to Certification.

What are the benefits of getting certified? 

Getting certified will allow your business to access special offers such through Energy Trust. The following state and federal contracting opportunities and benefits are also available: 

  • Opportunity to bid on goal orientated contracts 
    • Federal, state, county, and city government projects 
    • Large firms have programs and policies designed to engage and foster utilization of certified firms 
  • Awards on projects that do not have a goal 
    • $10,000 direct award (state) 
    • $50,000 professional services 
  • Opportunities targeted toward emerging small businesses 
    • $100,000 Direct award through ODOT’s Small Contracting Program 
  • Emergency response list 
  • Connecting to prime contractors 
  • Networking opportunities and events 
  • Exposure—Marketing tool 
  • Education opportunities 
  • Mentorship programs 

What services does the Pathway to Certification Provide? 

  • Coaching and advising on how to navigate the COBID certification process along with reviewing your application on a Zoom call 
  • Invitation to PBDG’s standing office hours: Tuesdays 9-10 am or Thursdays 2-3pm 
  • Invitation to PBDG’s COBID Lunch & Learn group Zoom on the 2nd Wednesday of every month 
  • Referrals to other resources needed to complete your application (i.e. registering your business, writing a resume, or filing your taxes, etc.) 

What services are not provided by the Pathway to Certification? 

  • PBDG cannot complete or submit your application for you 
  • PBDG is not authorized to login to your COBID account 
  • Processing times for applications vary through the COBID office. As a result, PBDG is not able to guarantee or provide a specific timeframe of when the COBID office will have your application fully processed. Participating in the pathway does not provide any special access to COBID staff. 

Application 

Please answer each question as it will help your PBDG advisor better understand any additional assistance that can be provided such as technical training. PBDG offers a suite of trainings that are available to you at reduced cost as a result of Energy Trust’s business development funds. The information provided in the application is confidential and will only be used by Energy Trust and your PBDG advisor to assist with training and certification.