Insights · 2026-05-27
MBE, WBE, VOSB exhibit producers — what procurement officers should know
Most exhibit houses are not MBE/WBE/VOSB certified. The ones that are can shorten your supplier-diversity sourcing cycle by weeks. Here is how to evaluate them.
By Rodney Lamar · 2026-05-27 · 7 min read
If you run supplier diversity for a big company, or you're a federal buyer working a small-business set-aside, you already know the hard part isn't wanting to hire a diverse vendor. It's finding one who can actually do the work — on time, on budget, and at the quality your brand needs in front of a crowd.
I'm Rodney Lamar. I started Lamar Exhibits back in 2013, and we're a certified Minority Business Enterprise, Women's Business Enterprise, and Veteran-Owned Small Business. We've been on both sides of this — the shop trying to prove it belongs, and the vendor a procurement officer is quietly hoping turns out to be the real deal. So let me tell you, plainly, what to look for.
First, why these certifications even matter to you
Most exhibit houses aren't certified. A lot of the big national ones never bothered, because they didn't have to. So when your diversity-spend numbers are due and you're scrambling to find a booth builder who counts, the pool is smaller than you'd think.
A certified shop does two things for you. It lets you hit your supplier-diversity goals with real, reportable spend. And — if the shop is any good — it does that without you having to babysit the project or apologize for the booth later. That second part is the whole game.
The certifications, in plain English
- MBE — Minority Business Enterprise. Owned and run by someone from a recognized minority group. Ours is through Maryland's MDOT office.
- WBE — Women's Business Enterprise. Majority-owned and led by women. The national body is WBENC.
- VOSB — Veteran-Owned Small Business. Owned and controlled by a veteran, verified through the VA.
Here's the thing folks miss: these aren't a logo you slap on a website. They're earned, they're audited, and they expire if you don't keep them current. Which is exactly why they're useful to you — somebody already did the vetting.
How to tell a real one from a checkbox
When you're sizing up a certified exhibit shop, ask for these. A serious one will have them ready: the actual certificates with numbers and expiration dates; a one-page capabilities statement; past performance you can actually check; and proof they carry the work themselves instead of brokering it out to whoever's cheapest that week.
The mistake I see buyers make
Treating the certification as the finish line instead of the starting line. The cert gets a shop onto your list. It doesn't tell you whether they'll answer the phone at two in the morning when a crate's missing. That's a separate question — and honestly, the more important one.
So use the certification to shorten your search. Then judge the shop the way you'd judge any vendor: did they listen, did they tell you the truth about timeline and budget, and did they show up. A good certified shop welcomes those questions. We do.
If that's the kind of vendor you're hunting for, start an RFQ or just call me directly at (301) 645-8050. I'll tell you straight whether we're the right fit.
