Tag Archives: 8(a) program

Inspector General: SBA’s Certify.SBA.gov Platform “Has Not Accomplished Its Objectives”

Posted on by

The SBA’s “Certify” website, certify.SBA.gov, has fallen far short of meeting its objectives, according to an eye-opening report from the SBA’s Office of Inspector General.

The OIG concludes that, despite an investment of $30 million, Certify “does not have many of the essential search, analytical, and reporting tools it was supposed to have.” Additionally, Certify’s lack of functionality has forced SBA employees to use time-consuming workarounds, causing delays in screening and approving applications, among other things.

Continue reading →

SBA Issues 2019 Small Business Scorecard, Small Business Contracting Over $130 Billion!

Posted on by

The SBA’s FY2019 Small Business Procurement Scorecard came out recently and revealed some interesting trends in the dollars and cents of small business contracting. While there are a lot of positives for small businesses, not all the numbers are great. Read on for the details!

Continue reading →

OHA: Second Job Leads to 8(a) Program Termination

Posted on by

When it comes to the 8(a) program, you might want to quit your day job.

The 8(a) Business Development Program, similar to other SBA socioeconomic programs such as the service-disabled veteran-owned small business program, requires the disadvantaged individual owner to work full-time at the business during normal business hours of similar firms. If an owner has a second job outside the main company, that can create problems, as it did in a recent OHA decision.

Continue reading →

GAO: Work Must Remain Set Aside for 8(a) Participants Because Not a “New Requirement”

Posted on by

In a recent decision, Eminent IT, LLC, B-418570 (June 23, 2020), GAO held that the Department of State improperly removed a requirement from the SBA’s 8(a) program where the solicitation did not create a “new requirement.”  

Continue reading →

Newsflash: 8(a) Income and Net Worth Eligibility Standards Increased

Posted on by

As of July 15, the initial caps on net worth, adjusted gross income, and fair market value of assets for the 8(a) program have gone up. The dollar amounts for initial 8(a) economic disadvantage eligibility have increased quite a bit, making more people economically eligible. Read on for the details on this change.

Continue reading →

YouTube Tuesday: Writing Your 8(a) Application’s Social Disadvantage Narrative- What the SBA is Looking For

Posted on by

One of the trickiest requirements for admission into the SBA’s 8(a) program is demonstrating social disadvantage. While some groups are presumed socially disadvantaged (as discussed here), social disadvantage can also be demonstrated based on other characteristics not specifically included in the SBA’s regulations. For those characteristics, applicants must submit a “social disadvantage narrative.”

In this video, I provide you the tricks of the trade you’ll need to write a successful narrative:

For assistance drafting your social disadvantage narrative, reach out to us here!

Regulatory Update: SBA Moves to Clean Up Small Disadvantaged Business Rules

Posted on by

Last month, the SBA moved to edit its regulations, taking a red pen to its current rules governing Small Disadvantaged Businesses (or SDBs), as described in the Federal Register.

This post will highlight what the new rule will mean for current SDBs—and how businesses can become eligible for SDB subcontractor status under the new rule. While the SDB program is still alive and kicking, the rules will be simplified to eliminate a lot of language that is simply no longer applicable.

Continue reading →