consumerfinance.gov

Doing business 

with the CFPB

A guide for small businesses

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 3

Table of contents

Message from Rich Cordray, Director of the CFPB ��������������������� 4

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)�������������������� 5

What is the CFPB? 5

Message from the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion 6

Message from the Office of Procurement 7

Our commitment to small businesses ������������������������������������������� 8

Our small business goals 8

Historical obligations by product/service categories 9

Where we are doing business 10

Opportunities 11

Finding opportunities and selling to the government�������������� 12

Working with the federal government���������������������������������������� 16

Definition of a small business 16

Small business eligibility 17

Types of small businesses 18

Steps required to do work with the federal government 22

The proposal process for contracting opportunities 23

Registering with SAM 24

Registering with the SBA 25

Getting a GSA FSS contract 26

Becoming a SEWP prime contract holder 27

Additional resources 28

Top ten tips for doing business with the CFPB �������������������������� 29
4 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Message from Rich Cordray, 

Director of CFPB

Thank you for considering the 

Consumer Financial Protection 

Bureau (CFPB) for your future 

business opportunities. We are 

a new agency, created in 2011 as 

part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street 

Reform Act, but we have a crucial 

mission: protecting the American 

consumer. We aim to be a model 

government agency that helps 

consumer finance markets work by 

making rules more effective, by consistently and fairly enforcing those 

rules, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their 

economic lives.

We value great people and excellent teamwork, and the Bureau is 

proud of the emphasis we place on partnering with small businesses 

in our contracting opportunities.

Our Office of Procurement and Office of Minority and Women 

Inclusion are fully committed to guiding small businesses through the 

procurement process to ensure utilization of small business services 

in support of protecting and serving the American consumer. It is 

our mission and responsibility to continue to develop and provide 

information and tools necessary to compete for business with the CFPB.

We look forward to working with your small business.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 5

The Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Who we are

§ Founded as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and 

Consumer Protection Act which was signed into law in July 2010

§ Holds primary responsibility for regulating financial products 

and services aimed at the American consumer

§ Has jurisdiction over banks, credit unions, securities firms, 

payday lenders, mortgage servicers, foreclosure relief services, 

debt collectors, and other financial services

What we do

§ Write rules, supervise financial companies, and enforce federal 

consumer financial protection laws

§ Restrict unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices

§ Take consumer complaints

§ Promote financial education

§ Research consumer behavior

§ Monitor financial markets for new risks to consumers

§ Enforce laws that outlaw discrimination and other unfair 

treatment in consumer finance 
6 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Message from the Office of 

Minority and Women Inclusion

Stuart Ishimaru, Director, 

Office of Minority and Women Inclusion

A primary mission of the Office of 

Minority and Women Inclusion 

(OMWI) at the CFPB is to increase 

the participation of minority- and 

women-owned businesses in the 

programs and procurements of the 

Bureau. OMWI partners with the 

Office of Procurement to provide 

guidance to small businesses on 

how to navigate the intricacies of 

federal contracting. We seek out 

diverse suppliers through active 

involvement with small and minority-owned business trade 

organizations, community outreach efforts, and participation in trade 

organization events. We monitor and report our progress towards 

achieving our goals with an emphasis on continual improvement. We 

hope this guide will be a starting point to give you tools and support 

to do business with the CFPB. Visit www.consumerfinance.gov for the 

latest sourcing opportunities. We look forward to working with you 

and welcome your suggestions for improvements.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 7

Message from the Office of 

Procurement

David Gragan, 

Senior Procurement Executive

The Office of Procurement’s 

mission is to serve as a steward 

of acquisition excellence among 

government agencies by reinventing 

processes to take full advantage of 

technology, transparency, open 

communications and best practices.

We are partnering with the Office 

of Minority and Women Inclusion to 

ensure that small businesses have 

the resources and opportunities to 

compete for work with the Bureau. As a proponent of partnering with 

small businesses, I look forward to working with your firm in the future.
8 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Our commitment to 

small businesses

Our small business goals

As the main economic drivers and job creators in America, small 

businesses play a crucial role in the U.S. economy. The CFPB fully 

recognizes the importance of small businesses and is committed to 

partnering with them for contracting opportunities.

To ensure that small businesses receive a portion of federal 

procurements, Congress has established annual goals of 23% for 

the amount of contract dollars that should be directed towards 

different socioeconomic categories of small businesses. The CFPB, 

in its commitment to promoting small businesses, has individually 

set a higher goal of 28.5% and has significantly exceeded that goal in 

FY2011 and is on track to exceed that goal in FY2013.

CFPB vs. government small business dollars 

(as a percentage of total eligible dollars FY11-FY13)

*FY2013 data is 

through 1/31/2013
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 9

Historical obligations by product/

service categories

In FY12, the CFPB used 78 different 

NAICS codes, but consulting services was 

the most common.

FY11 obligations by NAICS code

FY12 obligations by NAICS code

Total Obligations: $33M 

Contract Transactions: 238

Total Obligations: $87M 

Contract Transactions: 636

15%

Custom Comp. 

Programming 

Services

37%

Admin Mgmt &

General Consulting 

Services

14%

All other

info. systems

15%

Other

4%

Computer Terminal

Manufacturing

4%

Professional & Mgmt.

Development Training

7%

Computer Systems

Design Services

4%

Direct Health & Medical

Insurance Carriers

15%

Custom Comp.

Programming 

Services

29%

Admin Mgmt &

General Consulting 

Services

11%

All other

info. systems

25%

Other

3%

Facilities Support

Services

4%

Data Processing, Hosting 

& Related Services

8%

Computer Systems

Design Services

6%

Other Computer

Related Services
10 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Where we are doing business

Each of 30 states acted as the principal 

place of performance, but DC, VA, and 

MD comprised over three-quarters of total 

action obligation dollars.

FY12 action obligations by principal place of performance

NOTE: Data is pulled from FPDS and is meant to be a historical snapshot for 

informational purposes, not a predictor of future places of performance by 

the Bureau.

Total action obligations for FY2012 was $87.7M.

“Other” encompasses 24 other states including AL, AR, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, 

KY, LA, MA, MN, NC, NE, NH, NJ, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, WI, TN and TX.

60.9%

DC

6.0%

MD

2.9%

Other

7.3%

NY

2.7%

CA

9.9%

NM

10.3%

VA
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 11

Opportunities

We openly communicate contract 

opportunities using a variety of 

government portals and websites.

1. Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps)

2. General Services Administration (GSA) eBuy

3. Forecasted opportunities on www.consumerfinance.gov

4. SEWP (www.sewp.nasa.gov) for IT supplies
12 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Finding opportunities and 

selling to the government

The acquisition process begins when an agency decides to seek 

goods or services from the private sector. The three most frequently 

used procurement methods utilized by the federal contracting 

community are:

§ Open Market Acquisitions (unrestricted, and various small 

business set-aside competitions including 8(a) set-asides, are 

performed under this procurement method)

§ Purchase Card Programs

§ Orders from pre-existing contracting vehicles such as the 

General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply 

Schedules.

In addition, all small businesses should consider partnering with 

other firms to sell to the federal government; this is known as 

“subcontracting.”

Open Market Acquisitions

Federal agencies can buy from outside vendors in a variety of ways. 

Competition among multiple companies for federal procurement 

opportunities helps ensure that the government will obtain the 

highest quality work at the best value.

Open market federal solicitations are published at www.FedBizOpps.

gov, the federal government’s procurement portal, which lists 

procurements valued over $25,000. Companies wishing to compete 

for an open market contract must submit a bid or proposal to do the 

work. The agency then selects the best offer and awards the contract 

to the winning firm.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 13

Small Business Set-Asides

The Small Business Program helps assure that small businesses are 

awarded a fair proportion of government contracts by reserving 

certain government purchases exclusively for participation by small 

business concerns.

The determination to make a small business set-aside is usually made 

by the Contracting Officer (CO).

æ FedBizOpps is short for “Federal Business Opportunities.” 

FedBizOpps can be accessed on the Internet at www.fbo.gov or 

www.FedBizOpps.gov. This site allows you to search for federal 

procurement opportunities valued over $25,000 and you can choose 

to receive automatic e-mails when procurements are announced.

Under the set-aside program, every acquisition of supplies or services 

that has an anticipated dollar value between $3,000 and $150,000 is 

automatically reserved for small businesses. Every set-aside requires 

that there be a reasonable expectation that offers will be obtained 

from two or more small business concerns that are competitive in 

terms of market prices, quality, and delivery. If one acceptable offer 

is received, the CO is required to make the award to that firm. If no 

acceptable offers are received, the set-side will be withdrawn, and 

goods or services will be solicited on an unrestricted basis.

For contracts over $150,000, the CO is required to set it aside if there 

is a reasonable expectation that offers will be obtained from at least 

two responsible small business concerns and that the award will be 

made at fair market prices. In some cases, the CO will first do market 

research by issuing a “Sources Sought” asking for small businesses 

to respond with a brief written statement of their qualifications to 

provide a particular good or service. If the CO determines that two 

competitive offers will be received, the procurement will be set aside. 

The agency can also set aside a procurement for a particular type of 

small business such as a HUBZone or SDVOSB.
14 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Purchase Card

Federal government agencies began using the purchase card in the 

late 1980s as a way to acquire small-dollar items in a more efficient 

manner than open market acquisitions.

The Bureau does have a Purchase Card program where holders can 

go directly to the supplier or service provider for their micropurchase 

(i.e., under $3,000) needs.

GSA Schedules

Federal agencies often select potential vendors from the General 

Services Administration (GSA) Schedules, also referred to as Multiple 

Award Schedules or Federal Supply Schedules (FSS). Administered by 

the GSA, the schedules deliver millions of commercial supplies and 

services at volume discount pricing to government purchasers.

Whether your firm sells everyday items like cleaning supplies or 

provides specialized services like language translation or event 

planning, the schedules likely have a contract category that fits your 

business. To be listed on the GSA schedules, contractors must offer 

to sell their products or services to the government at what the 

GSA considers to be a fair and reasonable price. Federal agencies 

throughout the government may then buy from the vendor at the 

schedule-listed price or ask listed vendors to compete for specific 

procurements.

Becoming a schedule contractor is a multi-step process and can take 

several months to complete. More information: www.gsa.gov.

Sole Source Procurements

The government may also award a contract to a company without 

holding a competition. This kind of award is called a sole source and 

is available only under special circumstances (e.g., only one firm can 

perform the work, national security concerns) set out in federal law.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 15

Subcontracting

Small firms can partner with other companies that have government 

contracts or are bidding as prime contractors. Smaller companies 

often fill niches that complement a prime contractor’s services. Large 

firms bidding on contracts valued at $650,000 or more must submit 

an acceptable subcontracting plan that sets percentage (based on the 

contract’s total value) and dollar goals for the award of subcontracts 

to small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled 

veteran-owned small business, HUBZone, small disadvantaged 

business and women-owned small business concerns.

Subcontracting can present small businesses with opportunities 

that might otherwise be unattainable because of limited resources, 

staffing, capital, or experience.
16 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Working with the 

federal government

Definition of a small business

A small business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or 

other legal entity that meets the following criteria:

§ Is organized for profit

§ Has a place of business in the United States

§ Makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy by paying 

taxes or using American products, materials or labor

§ Does not exceed the numerical size standard* for its industry 

(see table below for commonly used services by the Bureau)

CFPB’s commonly used services

Industry Group Size Standard

Administrative management 

and management consulting 

services

$14.0M

Custom computer 

programming services / 

computer system design 

services

$25.5M

Facilities support services $35.5M

Data processing, hosting, and 

related services $30.0M

Source: Small Business Administration
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 17

*Size standards are based on revenues over a 3-year period or on number of 

employees.

A complete list of size standards can be found at 

http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/Size_Standards_Table(1).pdf.

Small business eligibility

Under the FAR, qualifying small businesses 

can receive preferences during the federal 

procurement process.

As mentioned previously, the CFPB and the other federal agencies 

establish annual goals for awarding contracts to small businesses. To 

help achieve these goals, the federal agencies use several preference 

programs authorized by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). 

However, to be eligible for these programs, a firm must first 

demonstrate that it is considered a “small business” according to the 

FAR.

æ What is the FAR?

Small businesses are highly encouraged to become familiar with 

the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) before attempting to 

pursue federal contracts. The FAR is codified in Title 48 of the 

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and sets forth the requirements 

of contractors for selling to the government, as well as the rules for 

proposals and for the payment of invoices.

Part 19 of the FAR governs “Small Business Programs.” This part 

describes programs giving preferences to small businesses to 

participate in federal procurements. You can read the FAR at 

www.acquisition.gov/FAR/.
18 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Types of small businesses

Small businesses owned by socially and 

economically disadvantaged individuals can 

qualify for additional preferences in federal 

procurement.

Government agencies are required by law to award a percentage of 

contracts to small businesses. Agencies also set procurement goals 

for small, disadvantaged, HUBZone, woman-owned and servicedisabled veteran-owned small businesses. To qualify as a small 

business under one of these socioeconomic categories, the company 

must fit the definitions set out by the Small Business Administration 

(SBA). These definitions are explained in the following pages.

Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB)

A small disadvantaged business is a small business that is owned 

and operated by one or more people that is considered socially 

and economically disadvantaged. An individual is considered 

“socially disadvantaged” if they have been subjected to prejudice 

or bias based on their racial or ethnic identity. Individuals are seen 

as “economically disadvantaged” if their ability to compete in the 

economy has been impaired due to diminished capital and access to 

credit.

Businesses self-certify that they are SDBs in order to make them 

eligible for benefits in federal procurement. There are three ways to 

become certified as an SDB:

§ All firms that are current participants in the SBA’s 8(a) Business 

Development Program are automatically deemed to be certified 

as SDBs

§ Any firm may apply to the specific procuring agency stating they 

meet the eligibility standards of an SDB
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 19

§ A procuring agency may accept a certification from another 

entity (e.g., a private certifying agency or a state or local 

government) that a firm qualifies as an SDB if the agency deems 

it appropriate.

African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian 

Pacific Americans and Subcontinent-Asian Americans are presumed 

to qualify. All individuals must have a net worth of less than $750,000 

excluding the equity of the business and primary residence.

8(a) Businesses

Some certified SDBs may also qualify for participation in the SBA’s 8(a) 

Business Development Program. This program helps SDBs compete in 

the federal and private sectors.

The focus of the program is to provide business development support 

such as mentoring, business counseling, training, financial assistance, 

surety bonding, and other management and technical assistance.

The major advantage of this program is that it allows the government 

to contract, on a noncompetitive basis, up to $4 million per contract 

($6.5M for manufacturing) with 8(a) certified firms. Businesses must meet 

eligibility requirements established by the SBA each year.

Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB)

A women-owned small business is a small business that meets the 

following two conditions:

§ At least 51 percent owned by one or more women, or, in the 

case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the 

stock is owned by one or more women 

§ Management and daily business operations are controlled by 

one or more women

Small businesses can self-certify with supporting documents or 

receive third-party certification with supporting documents.
20 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) 

Businesses

The HUBZone program stimulates economic development and creates 

jobs in urban and rural communities by providing federal contracting 

preferences to small businesses. These preferences go to small 

businesses that obtain HUBZone certification from the SBA.

To receive this certification, the firm must fill out an application that 

demonstrates that the firm meets the following criteria:

§ It is a small business by SBA standards

§ It is owned and controlled at least 51 percent by U.S. citizens, 

a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural 

cooperation, or an Indian tribe

§ Its principal office is located within a HUBZone, which includes 

lands considered “Indian Country” and military facilities closed 

by the Base Realignment and Closure Act

§ At least 35 percent of its employees reside in a HUBZone

In addition to determining which businesses are eligible to receive 

HUBZone contracts, the SBA maintains a listing of qualified HUBZone 

small businesses that federal agencies can use to locate vendors.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses 

(SDVOSB)

To qualify as a SDVOSB, a business must be at least 51 percent 

owned by one or more service-disabled veterans. If a veteran has 

a permanent service-connected disability and the firm is run by a 

spouse or permanent caregiver, the firm can still qualify for this status.

As with small businesses in general, the SBA places the responsibility 

for certifying whether a business is a SDVOSB on the firm itself. To 

qualify as a SDVOSB, the firm must self-certify that 1) at least 51 

percent of the business is owned by one or more service-disabled 

veterans and 2) management and daily business operations are 

controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 21

Self-certification for SDVOSBs can be supported by the presentation 

of a Defense Department Form 214 which states the owner has a 

service-connected disability and a letter from the U.S. Department of 

Veteran Affairs (VA).

Contracts are awarded through a sole-source or set-aside based 

on competition restricted to SDVOSBs (outlined in FAR 19.1405 and 

19.1406).

Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB)

To qualify as a Veteran-Owned Small Business, a business concern 

must be at least 51 percent owned by one or more eligible veterans, 

or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of 

the stock is owned by one or more veterans and whose management 

and daily business operations are controlled by such veterans.

Certification requirements for different types of small businesses

Type of Small 

Business

Entity responsible 

for certification

Certification 

procedure

General small 

business Self-certification Register on SAMRegister on SBA

SDB, 8(a), 

HUBZone SBA

Complete 

application form 

on SBA

WOSB Self-certification* Register on SAM

Register on SBA

SDVOSB Self-certification

Be able to 

produce DD-214 

if contested, as 

well as receive 

disability rating 

from VA
22 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

*WOSBs may self-certify or elect to use the services of these SBA-approved 

Third Party Certifiers to demonstrate eligibility.

El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (http://www.elpaso.org/)†

National Women Business Owners Corporation (http://www.nwboc.org/)†

US Women’s Chamber of Commerce (http://www.uswcc.org/)†

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) (http://wbenc.org/)†

† The nongovernmental websites in this document are provided for 

informational purposes only and do not represent the official views of 

the CFPB or other Federal government agencies.

Steps required of small businesses to 

do work with the federal government

To become eligible for a small business preference, a firm must:

 Get a DUNS identification number

DUNS stands for Data Universal Numbering System. It is a system 

developed and regulated by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and is 

recognized as a universal standard for identifying and tracking over 

100 million businesses worldwide. To get a DUNS number, contact 

D&B at (888) 814-1435 or visit www.dnb.com/us.

 Register on the System for Award Management (SAM)

SAM combines federal procurement systems and the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. This consolidation 

is being done in phases. The first phase of SAM includes the 

functionality from the following systems:

§ Central Contractor Registry (CCR)

§ Federal Agency Registration (Fedreg) Online Representations 

and Certifications Application

§ Excluded Parties List System (EPLS)
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 23

 Register with the Small Business Administration (SBA)

The SBA is a United States government agency that provides support 

to entrepreneurs and small businesses. More details about these steps 

can be found in the following pages.

The proposal process for contracting 

opportunities

Follow the four high-level steps below to start the proposal process 

for open contracting opportunities:

 Register

Register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM) and Small Business 

Administration

 Identify

Identify your company based on any 

applicable small business categories including 

small disadvantaged, women-owned, servicedisabled veteran-owned, and/or historically 

underutilized business zones

 Contact

Contact the Office of Procurement to 

introduce your company and its business 

capabilities

 Respond Respond to a CFPB request for information, 

proposal, quotation, or response

æ Register with SBA and SAM to gain eligibility on contract vehicles 

through the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply 

Schedule (FSS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP).
24 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Registering with SAM

All government contractors must be 

registered on the System for Award 

Management (SAM).

How to Register

To register at http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/sam you will need the 

following information:

§ Obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number from 

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

§ Obtain a Federal Tax ID Number, Employer ID Number (EIN), 

and Taxpayer ID Number (TIN) from http://www.irs.gov

§ Identify NAICS code(s) based on business capabilities at http://

www.census.gov/eos/www/naics

§ Identify Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code(s) based on 

business capabilities at http://osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html

§ Provide a bank account number and routing number for 

electronic payments 
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 25

Registering with the SBA

If you own a small business, you should 

register with Small Business Administration 

(SBA) for all possible NAICS codes.

How to Register

To register at http://www.sba.gov you will need the following 

information:

§ Select a legal business structure

§ Register your business name at http://www.sba.gov/content/

register-your-fictitious-or-doing-business-dba-name

§ Obtain a Federal Tax ID Number and EIN from http://www.irs.

gov

§ Register with your state revenue office

§ Register for business licenses and permits

æ The SBA provides some very helpful online resources for small firms 

that can be accessed anytime:

§ Government Contracting Classroom at http://www.sba.gov/

gcclassroom

§ Contract Responsibilities at http://www.sba.gov/content/contractresponsibilities
26 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Getting a GSA FSS contract

Your business is eligible to obtain a GSA 

Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract once 

you have registered with SAM and SBA.

How to Register

To register at http://www.gsa.gov/gettingonschedule you will need 

the following information:

§ Get a DUNS Number from http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

§ Complete the Readiness Assessment for Prospective Offerors at 

www.vsc.gsa.gov/RA/ReadinessAssessment.pdf

§ Past Performance Evaluation – Register with Open Ratings and 

provide contact information for 6 to 20 of your customers www.

ppereports.com

§ Obtain a GSA FSS contract and then respond to a solicitation

æ NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. It is 

the standard numbering system used by North American businesses and 

government to classify business establishments by their economic activity 

or process of production.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 27

Becoming a SEWP prime 

contract holder

If you offer information technology supplies, 

becoming a SEWP prime contract holder is 

highly encouraged.

About SEWP

Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) is a GovernmentWide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) comprised of a set of precompeted contracts.

It is managed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA) and authorized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB).

Prime contract holders are not added after the initial competition and 

award. Register at http://www.sewp.nasa.gov.
28 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB

Additional resources

Organization Website

U.S. Department of 

Commerce: BusinessUSA www.business.usa.gov

U.S. General Services 

Administration www.gsa.gov

U.S. Department of Treasury: 

Small Business Lending www.treasury.gov/osdbu

U.S. Department of Veteran’s 

Affairs www.va.gov

Small Business Administration www.sba.gov

Small Business Counseling www.score.org†

Small Business Innovation 

Research www.sbir.gov

Minority Business 

Development Agency www.mbda.gov

Regional Small Business 

Development www.knowyourregion.org†

Startup America www.startupamerica

partnership.org†

æ Get training from Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs). 

They provide local, in-person counseling and training services for small 

business owners and are designed to provide technical assistance to 

businesses that want to sell products and services to the government. 

PTAC services are available either free of charge, or at a nominal cost. 

Find out more at http://www.sba.gov/content/procurement-technicalassistance-centers-ptacs.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 29

Top ten tips for doing 

business with the CFPB

Here are some helpful tips, gathered from 

this guide, to help you successfully do 

business with the Bureau.

1. Familiarize yourself with the Bureau, its objectives and goals, and 

its business needs.

2. Know which small business concerns (e.g., SDB, WOSB, etc.) your 

firm can qualify for.

3. Get a DUNS number.

4. Register on SAM and SBA. 

5. Learn about NAICS codes and figure out which ones may apply to 

your business.

6. Become a schedule contractor on GSA FSS.

7. Check FedBizOpps for opportunities and look for forecasted 

opportunities on our website.

8. Market your company’s goods and services towards federal socioeconomic goals and initiatives.

9. Do not hesitate to contact the CFPB’s Office of Procurement at 

CFPB_Procurement@cfpb.gov with questions and concerns.

10. Be responsive to requests for additional information.
30 DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CFPB
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU 31
For more information, email: 

cfpb_procurement@cfpb.gov

cfpb_omwi@cfpb.gov