Go-DBE Resources

Before Certification

After Certification

 

(videos in thumbnails, please refer to Youtube Channel)

No. To qualify as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Business, the owner must have served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States with at least a twenty percent (20%) service-connected disability. This means that the disability was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service.  

In contrast, “Persons with Disabilities” must provide an Affidavit of Disability signed by a licensed physician annually. 

SDVBE Certification is valid for three (3) years, whereas DSBE Certification is only valid for one (1) year.  

No. The application for certification is an online process. Once your application has been submitted, a diversity liaison will contact you.

Here is a list of documents you will need. 

Note: To complete the certification process, you must submit all requested documentation. The Go-DBE office will deem all applications received without the required documentation ineligible for certification. If your certification is denied, you must wait three (3) years before reapplying.

No. The Go-DBE office does not provide loans or grants to businesses. Go-DBE is the State of Tennessee certification agency for diverse and small businesses. 

  • Certification is FREE
  • 100% online process
  • One-on-one assistance
  • Current procurement opportunities
  • Contract and sub-contractor opportunities
  • Bid notifications
  • Assisting agencies meeting goals
  • Reciprocity with other state and local government partners
  • 40 statewide contracts with businesses that are certified in our office
  • Business development programs 

For the purpose of Go-DBE, DBE stands for Diversity Business Enterprise, which includes the following categories: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (SDVBE), Persons with Disabilities Business Enterprise (DSBE), and Small Business Enterprise (SBE).

DBE is sometimes referred to as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise by other agencies. 

All out-of-state businesses must submit evidence of an existing certification from their home state or recognized national certification to be eligible for certification in Tennessee.  

Self-certification with the U. S. Small Business Administration or any other type of self-certification is not acceptable as evidence of certification. 

No. The State of Tennessee only allows for one classification. There is no preference given to one classification over another. 

Below is a list of the Diversity Liaisons appointed by their respective agency to collaborate with our office to assist in engaging diverse and small businesses.

Department

Liaison Name

Phone No.

E-mail Address

Agriculture

Peggy Naifeh

615-837-5300

Peggy.Naifeh@tn.gov

Children's Services

Erica Mayberry

615-253-2340

Erica.Mayberry@tn.gov

Commerce and Insurance

Angela Lay

615-401-7743

Angela.Lay@tn.gov

Comptroller of the Treasury

Rebecca Mink

615-401-7806

Rebecca.Mink@cot.tn.gov

Correction

Priscilla Wainwright

615-253-5571

Priscilla.Wainwright@tn.gov

Economic and Community Development

Angela Giles

615-917-3963

Angel.Giles@tn.gov 

Education

Brian DiCarlo

615-290-6715

Brian.DiCarlo@tn.gov

Environment and Conservation

Amanda Head

615-504-0373

Amanda.Head@tn.gov

Finance and Administration

Eugene Neubert

615-770-3990

Eugene.Neubert@tn.gov

Financial Institutions

Tommie Pendergrass

615-232-1013

Tommie.K.Pendergrass@tn.gov

General Services

Kimberly Henry

615-741-2562

Kimberly.Henry@tn.gov

Health

Tara Roark

615-532-3535

Tara.E.Roark@tn.gov

Health Care F&A (TennCare)

Matt Brimm

615-507-6384

Matt.Brimm@tn.gov

Human Resources

Cindy Hobbs

615-741-6199

Cindy.Hobbs@tn.gov

Human Services

Stephen Reksten

615-313-4794

Stephen.Reksten@tn.gov

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Hany Ghabious

615-741-9135

Hany.Ghabious@tn.gov

Labor and Workforce Development

Andy Summar

615-360-4465

Andy.Summar@tn.gov

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Mary Lee

615-587-1557

Mary.Lee@nt.gov

Military

Crystal M. Lysinger

615-313-0691

Crystal.M.Lysinger@tn.gov

Office of the Governor

Daphne Cooper

615-532-4582

Daphne.Cooper@tn.gov

Revenue

Amanda McGraw

615-253-8950

Amanda.McGraw@tn.gov

Safety

Marki Mascolo

615-251-5238

Marki.T.Mascolo@tn.gov

State of TN Real Estate Asset Management (STREAM)

Jennifer Murphy

615-426-7192

Jennifer.Murphy@tn.gov

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Richard Moore

615-744-4210

Richard.Moore@tn.gov

Tennessee Board of Regents

Angela Flynn

615-366-4436

Angela.Flynn@tbr.edu

Tennessee Board of Regents

Danyelle Johnson

615-365-1558

Danyelle.Osborne@tbr.edu

Tourist Development

Kevin Mahoney

615-741-9023

Kevin.Mahoney@tn.gov

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Clyde Hicks

615-781-6604

Clyde.Hicks@tn.gov

Transportation

Jessica Starling

615-253-1061

Jessica.M.Starling@tn.gov

Treasury

Dawn Rochelle

615-253-8770

Dawn.Rochelle@tn.gov

TRICOR

Lori Brewington

615-253-4931

Lori.Brewington@tn.gov

University of Tennessee

Abbie Shellist

865-974-3110

Ashellist@tennessee.edu

Veterans Services

Natasha Bailey

615-253-8972

Natasha.F.Bailey@tn.gov

                Universities

Austin Peay State University

Patricia Walton

931-221-7573

Waltonp@apsu.edu

East Tennessee State University 

Katherine Little Zink

423-439-6890

Littlekm@etsu.edu

Middle Tennessee State University

Shirman A. Thomas

615-898-2516

Shirman.thomas@mtsu.edu

Tennessee State University

Joel Sims, Jr.

615-963-5146

Jsims@tnstate.edu

Tennessee Technical University (Capital Projects)

Jim Cobb

931-372-3524

Jimcobb@tntech.edu

Tennessee Technical University (Commodities)

Donna Wallis

931-372-3492

Dwallis@tntech.edu

University of Memphis (Capital Projects)

Tony Poteet

901-678-2619

PPoteet@memphis.edu

University of Memphis (Commodities)

Mark Thomas

901-678-4121

wmthmas3@memphis.edu

University of Memphis Patrick Woods 901-678-3755 Pdwoods@memphis.edu