The SBA’s HUBZone Program, short for “Historically Underutilized Business Zone,” is likely the SBA program that we hear the least about. Tucked away in Title 13, Section 126 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, the HUBZone Program gives HUBZone participants benefits in multiple federal government contracting situations in an effort to revitalize historically underutilized business zones through increased employment opportunities, investments, and economic development. So, what exactly makes an area a HUBZone, and how can your small business be designated as a HUBZone participant? Read on to find out.
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Back to Basics: Limitations on Subcontracting
One of the common questions small business contractors ask themselves when planning performance of a contract is “how much of this work are we allowed to subcontract?” Trying to answer this question inevitably leads contractors to one of the most commonly used and frequently misunderstood rules in federal contracting, the Limitations on Subcontracting. In this post, we will break down some of the basics of this rule, and hopefully clear up any basic misunderstandings regarding it.
Continue readingBack to Basics: SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program
One of the biggest gamechangers among Federal Contracting programs is the SBA’s Mentor Protégé Program. It provides an avenue for small businesses and large businesses to work together where they otherwise may not have been able to previously, helps federal contractors develop their companies, and can provide protection from affiliation. However, in order for businesses to take advantage of this program, the relationship between the mentor and protégé businesses must meet certain requirements. This entry in SmallGovCon’s Back to Basics series will provide a quick overview of some of the requirements and important areas for contractors to remember if they are considering participating in the SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program.
Continue readingBack to Basics: Veteran-Owned Businesses and SDVOSB Eligibility
To honor the sacrifice made by our country’s veterans, the federal government has made it a priority to set aside federal contracting opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). To qualify for these opportunities, businesses must meet certain specifications in ownership and control. Let’s take a quick look at some the general qualifications needed to qualify as an SDVOSB and bid on SDVOSB set-aside contracts.
Continue readingBack to Basics: Types of Affiliation
This is a the second article of two taking you back to the basics of affiliation. The first, giving you a general overview of affiliation, can be found here. This follow-on article goes through the different bases for affiliation, as set forth in SBA’s affiliation regulations. Keep in mind though, this is still affiliation “basics” and does not go into a detailed analysis of each type of affiliation, as that would be a novel–not a blog.
Continue readingBack to Basics: Affiliation, An Overview
Affiliation is quite possibly one of the scariest words to small business government contractors. And it is easily one of the most misunderstood concepts in SBA’s small business regulations. Perhaps the widespread fear and misunderstanding are due to the fact that there are so many potential bases for affiliation listed in SBA’s rules–or the fact that you can be found affiliated with another company even if SBA finds that none of the listed bases for affiliation are met. Or maybe its the fact that, while affiliation isn’t always a bad thing, it can lead to severe consequences, like preventing an otherwise responsible and eligible business from competing under set-asides contracts.
Either way, this “Back to Basics” blog will be the first of two blogs that will “unpack” this concept for you, hopefully, removing some of the mystery. This first blog will provide a general overview of affiliation and what it means for government contractors, while the second blog will focus on the different types of affiliation.
Continue readingBack to Basics: Pre-Award Bid Protests
Many bid protests we handle at Koprince McCall Pottroff are filed after the contract has been awarded to an offeror. However, sometimes there are issues that are apparent in the solicitation that require clarification or correction prior to the bidding or proposal deadline. In these situations, potential offerors can file a pre-award protest that challenges solicitation terms, but, as with most GAO matters, there are strict deadlines that must be adhered to if the protestor wants to avoid her protest being dismissed. While pre-award protest is the common term, remember that a challenge to a solicitation’s terms is due before the proposal deadline.
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