8(a) CERTIFICATION

The 8(a) program was developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration to allow socially and economically disadvantaged firms with expert capabilities equal access to business opportunities. The SBA enters into contracts with federal procuring agencies as the prime contractor, subcontracting the actual performance of the work to 8(a) companies. The 8(a) procurement cycle is significantly faster than any other means of contracting.

When using the 8(a) contracting method, a program manager may simply select a firm as a suggested source and request that the procurement be pursued under the 8(a) program.

The often lengthy, expensive, and tedious process of justifying source selection is thereby avoided. Because 8(a) companies may subcontract portions of the work to other firms, a perfect partnership can be assembled for a particular project.

An 8(a) contract can usually be awarded within 60-90 days, much faster than a competitive procurement, which often requires up to a year to complete.

8(a) Certified click-through link