As defined by the National Minority Suppier Development Council (NMSDC), a Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated, and controlled by minority group members. Minority ownership must be 51 percent to qualify, whether the business is publicly or privately held. If publicly held, 51 percent of its stock must be held by the minority group members.

NMSDC defines as minority group members individuals who are at least one-quarter or 25 percent minimum (documentation to support claim of 25 percent may be required from applicant) of one of the following:

• African American - A U.S. citizen whose origin is from any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
   
• Hispanic American - A U.S. citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin only.  Brazilians shall be listed under Hispanic designation  for review and certification purposes
   
• Native American - A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, or Native Hawaiian, and regarded as such by the community of which the person claims to be a part. Native Americans must be documented members of a North American tribe, band, or otherwise organized group of native people who are indigenous to the continental United States and proof can be provided through a Native American Blood Degree Certificate (i.e., tribal registry letter, tribal roll register number).
   
• Asian-Pacific American - A U.S. citizen whose origin is Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas, Indonesia, Micronesia, or Polynesia.
   
• Asian-Indian American - A U.S. citizen whose origin is India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.

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