Tag Archives: 8(a) program

5 Things to Know About an 8(a) Bona Fide Place of Business

Posted on by

Eligibility to bid for construction contracts in the 8(a) program can be a maze to navigate for small businesses. The lifeblood for these companies is identifying and becoming eligible to bid for these prized solicitations. As a new 8(a) entity, or one looking to branch out, you may be wondering how to establish a bona fide place of business.

In order to qualify for construction contracts in the 8(a) program, offerors are required to have a bona fide place of business (or BFPOB) within the established geographic area. This post will walk you through when and how to request a determination from the SBA, and when to expect a decision.

Continue reading →

SBA Suggests Three Pages or Fewer for Social Disadvantage Narratives–But Really?

Posted on by

SBA guidance on Certify.SBA.Gov suggests that an 8(a) Program applicant’s social disadvantage narrative should be “three pages or less.” While we are definitely in the habit of recommending small business contractors to follow SBA’s guidance most of the time, we simply cannot climb aboard the “three-page” ship. In fact, we have significant concerns that submitting a one to three page narrative could potential “sink” your 8(a) application (at a minimum, requiring you to make extensive and time-consuming revisions later on).

Continue reading →

8(a) Joint Venture Fraud Allegations Lead to False Claims Act Settlement

Posted on by

The SBA’s joint venture rules can be strict. Mistakes like failing to update a joint venture agreement, inserting ambiguous provisions in a joint venture agreement, or relying on an expired mentor-protege agreement can be costly.

Good faith mistakes are one thing–the joint venture may lose out on a contract, but probably won’t face other penalties. But when the government believes that a contractor knowingly violated the joint venture rules, the repercussions can be much more serious–as seen in a recent False Claims Act settlement involving allegations of fraud under the 8(a) joint venture regulations.

Continue reading →

Koprince Law LLC’s New 8(a) Program GovCon Handbook is Live!

Posted on by

Well folks, the wait is finally over! The Second Edition of our popular GovCon Handbook on the SBA’s 8(a) Program is live, and it’s available here. In this revised, updated, and expanded Handbook, Steven Koprince and I give you the run-down on all things 8(a) (and as always, we do so in plain English).

Whether you are considering applying to the 8(a) Program, in the midst of the application process, already years into your 8(a) Program term, or a recent graduate/non-8(a) entity hoping to team with an 8(a) company one of these days–this book is for you. It covers everything under the 8(a) sun, including:

Continue reading →

Coming Next Week: Koprince Law LLC’s New 8(a) Program GovCon Handbook!

Posted on by

The 8(a) Program is tremendously powerful and can be a springboard to massive success in the government contracts marketplace. But the many (many!) rules surrounding the 8(a) Program are complex, and even savvy 8(a) contractors–not to mention first-time applicants–easily can become confused.

I am pleased to announce that next week, Koprince Law LLC will publish a Second Edition of our popular GovCon Handbook on the 8(a) Program. In this revised, updated and expanded Handbook, my colleague Nicole Pottroff and I will cover the 8(a) Program’s rules in detail, including:

Continue reading →

New GovCon Handbook Arriving Soon! The 8(a) Program 2021 Edition

Posted on by

I’m so excited to announce that a new Koprince Law LLC GovCon Handbook entitled, The 8(a) Program, is coming soon! This handbook–complete with all the SBA’s important changes from the past couple years–was co-authored by myself and Steven Koprince. It will be published through Amazon in the coming weeks. And don’t worry, we will keep you updated on the publication date and how to reserve an advance copy.

If you are thinking about applying to the 8(a) Program, currently going through the application process, or have already been admitted–this is the book for you. This book provides guidance on every step of the process, in plain English. It can help you navigate the ins and outs of the 8(a) Program, and even assist you in utilizing the full extent of your 8(a) Program opportunities. Stay tuned for more details!