To take you through a proper certified-micro business search, please consider the following scenario: **A professor emails you and tells you they need 5 copies of "How to Search for Micro Suppliers" and they need them before the end of the next week.**

Navigate to [eVA Home Page](https://eva.virginia.gov/)

Scroll to the bottom and click on "NIGP Code Lookup"

In the Search Description bar, type in the general category of what you are purchasing. If you are purchasing a book, you would enter "book", not the title of the novel. If you are purchasing an electron microscope, you would enter "scientific equipment" and not the model of the equipment you are purchasing. If you need assistance with understanding the general category of what you are purchasing, contact Procurement and we can help. 

Once you have your search description, hit Enter or select Search.

Read through the categories that populate from your search in order to select the best one. Each "Class" code that populates is clickable and may have additional codes with sub-categories. Do your best to find the most applicable code to use in your supplier search. For the purposes of this example, we will select Class Code 71500.

Selecting Class Code "71500" allows us to expand that category and look at the sub-categories underneath. For our example, none of the sub-categories really apply to what we are purchasing, so we can use the most general category given: "71500: PUBLICATIONS, AUDIOVISIAL MATERIALS, BOOKS, TEXTBOOKS (PREPARED MATERIALS ONLY). 

Highlight the code and press [[[ctrl]]] + [[[c]]] or simply Copy the code you'd like to use. 

In a new browser tab, navigate to the [Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity](https://sbsd.virginia.gov/) website.

Click on "Certification Directory Listing"

Now we can use our NIGP Code search to find certified-micro businesses for us to contact. First, we want to use the Search Filters on the left to narrow down our search. Click on "Certification Type."

Then go to the next Search Filter and click on "NIGP"

Here is where we type in our NIGP code from the eVA NIGP Code Lookup, or paste our copied code.

Once you enter your code, if the SBSD directory has suppliers registered for that code, it will show up in the list that you can select. Click on the check box next to the code.

You can click on the number next to Filters to see what filters you have applied to your search.

This will show you how many results populated through your search.
This search returned 30 results for certified-micro suppliers listed with the NIGP code for Books. The Procurement competition requirement for purchases under $10,000 not made on an existing contract or to an already certified-micro business is to obtain ONE quote from a certified-micro business prior to purchasing. Any one of the suppliers within this search would suffice. For additional information regarding the micro-business quote requirement, visit the [Certified Business Quote Requirement](https://adminfinance.umw.edu/procurement/umw-policies-and-procedures-2/vendor-selection/) page on the Procurement website.

If you'd like to download your search results, you can click this export button here.

Tip! Some suppliers listed may be what we refer to as "brokers." They will be easily identifiable in that the description of the items they can provide will vary widely across multiple different categories like "abrasives, airplane equipment, consulting services, office supplies, etc." It is OK to use one of these suppliers for your micro business quote. HOWEVER, it is preferred that you seek out within your search results a supplier who is in the business of selling mostly just your category of item needed. They are the most likely to be able to provide you with a legitimate quote. 

Tip! Remember that you must document your efforts at obtaining a quote from a micro business. This could include screenshots of your SBSD search that returned 0 results, a justification that the search results returned did not produce any suppliers that legitimately could sell you what you are looking for, etc. Your justification should be as detailed as possible.

When you go to contact one of the suppliers found within your search, take the time to detail all of your needs. In this case, let them know that you need 5 copies of "How to Search for Micro Suppliers" by the end of next week, so you need a response within the next 48 hours. By detailing all of your needs up front, you are able to evaluate your micro business quote more correctly. If the supplier does not respond to you within 48 hours of sending the email, document that and you can purchase from the supplier you want. If the micro business can't supply all 5 copies of the book or supply them within the timeframe you've given, document that and you can purchase from the supplier you want. If the micro business DOES quote you and can provide all 5 books within your time frame and responds within your response time window, their total quoted price (to include any shipping, charge card fees, etc.) must be within 5% of the total cost of a non-micro business for you to be required to purchase from them. If they are more expensive by 5% of the total cost of a non-micro business, document that and you can purchase from the supplier you want. 

This step-by-step guide will take you through the best way to find certified-micro suppliers for your Procurement competition needs prior to making a purchase.

Searching for Certified-Micro Suppliers