A Minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) or Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (DVBE) 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 a minority, woman or disabled veteran. Minority, woman or disabled veteran 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 (or women) members.

Qwest uses the following definitions - developed by the National Minority Supplier Development Council—for purposes of identifying minority-owned businesses.

Minority Group Member - An individual who is at least one-quarter or 25 percent minimum of the following:

African American - A U.S. citizen having origins in 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 Central, South and Latin America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Spain.

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.

Asian-Indian American - A U.S. citizen whose origin is India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Subcontinent Asian American - A U.S. citizen whose origin is Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.

Qwest uses the following definitions for the purpose of identifying small businesses:

Small Disadvantaged Business - A business that is 51 percent unconditionally owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged AND qualifies as a small business under the size standards in 13 CFR part 121.

Certified 8 (a) firm - A firm owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and eligible to receive federal contracts under the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program.

Certified HubZone - a firm operating in a government certified under-utilized business zone.