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SBA FINAL RULE: CHANGES TO ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE REQUIREMENT FOR 8(A) ELIGIBILITY (INDIVIDUAL-OWNED COMPANIES) AND NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR WOSB/EDWOSB CERTIFICATION

5/20/2020

On May 11, 2020 the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) published a Final Rule in the Federal Register. Although the focus of the Final Rule is primarily on the WOSB/EDWOSB certification process/requirements (which we will discuss later in this post), there were a few major changes which also directly affect and in our opinion, have a significant impact on 8(a) eligibility requirements for individual-owned companies.

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8(A) CERTIFICATION: WILL OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND OWNERSHIP IN OTHER COMPANIES IMPACT YOUR APPLICATION?

4/10/2018

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We are often approached by business owners that want to apply their company for the 8(a) program but who at the same time, still hold full-time (or even part-time) employment with another company and/or have ownership interests in other companies. Quite honestly, this is understandable - most people don't have the financial resources to quit their job and start a business unless they have guaranteed customers and/or sources of revenue. However, when it comes to the 8(a) program, what many don't understand is that the program is not a program for startup businesses.

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At What Point Must An SBA 8(A) Joint Venture Be Approved?

10/30/2017

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Recently, during the proposal process, we were asked by a Client to confirm at what point an SBA 8(a) Joint Venture must be approved by the SBA. Upon further consideration, we realized that there generally tends to be confusion surrounding Joint Ventures with respect to Federal contracting, so we thought we would do a blog post addressing the basics of which Joint Ventures need approval and at what point approval is required before a contract can be awarded to a JV.

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How Government Contractors Can Foster a Cohesive Team Culture Across Locations and Work Sites

9/18/2017

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As competition for federal contracts increases, it is becoming increasingly common for federal contractors to pursue contracts with various agencies and in different locations, which may result in performance of work at several different installations, including in different states. As a result, federal contractors often find themselves with a fragmented workforce - meaning they have employees that work in a variety of different physical locations. For example, a single company may have an office in Honolulu and one in Florida, both of which employ the company's back office staff. This same company may also have staff that work remotely or on various government installations in both locations as well as in other states.

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8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone or DBE Certification: Should You Work With a Consultant?

9/11/2017

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If you are considering pursuing certification in one of the small business contracting programs administered by the SBA, the VA or the DOT, you may also be considering whether you should utilize the services of a consultant to assist you. Using a consultant is not for everyone and we at Holomua Consulting Group (HCG) never discourage anyone from completing their own application(s). In fact, there are very good reasons why one should want to complete their own application. However, there are also very legitimate reasons for utilizing the services of a consultant.

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8(a) Certification: Should You Be Concerned If You Derive More than 70 Percent Of Your Revenue From a Single Source?

9/7/2017

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When it comes to 8(a) certification, in short, yes you should be concerned if your company earns more than 70% of its revenue from a single client or source (commercial). As part of the 8(a) application, applicants must provide a list of the company's contracts over the previous 12 months, including the following information: award date, customer name, description of work, dollar value and applicable NAICS code. In some cases, during the back and forth process with the SBA that is inherent in the 8(a) application process, the SBA will request contract information for the previous 3 years.

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Let’s Be Honest about the SBA 8(a) Program

8/15/2017

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One of the most valuable attributes of an individual and a business is honesty. No one likes being lied to or taken advantage of. Here at Holomua we pride ourselves in being honest and straightforward. To that end, we felt it was important to put together a candid blog post about the SBA 8(a) program. The 8(a) program is not for every business. Hopefully, our honesty will help you determine if the program is right for you.

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NAICS Appeals: What Are They and Do They Work?

8/14/2017

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In the world of federal contracting, whether a business is small depends on the applicable NAICS Code and the corresponding size standard, which is expressed either in terms of number of employees OR in terms of revenue (see our prior Blog Post on this subject for more information). All federal procurement opportunities are assigned a NAICS Code by the Contracting Officer (CO), and the assigned NAICS Code is especially relevant for businesses that would like to represent themselves as small. That is, a particular business may be considered small for one NAICS Code but other than small for another NAICS Code.

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Responding to Sources Sought Notices - Yay or Nay?

8/7/2017

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For companies just entering the Federal GovCon market, the vast amount of information you are sure to receive from various sources can be overwhelming. You will find that everyone has an opinion or “advice” as to what you should/should not do, so you must be very careful in terms of what pieces of advice you choose to follow. We have seen companies miss out on opportunities or waste time pursuing a futile course of action all because they were following bad advice.

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5 Steps to Apply for the HUBZone Program

7/18/2017

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The Historically Underutilized Business Zones or HUBZone Program is a small business Federal contracting program that was created in 1997 to encourage economic development in HUBZones. These areas typically have low median household incomes and/or high unemployment rates. HUBZone program benefits include set-aside and sole-source opportunities, a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions, and subcontracting opportunities. Unlike self-certifying programs, there is an application process for the HUBZone program so it’s important that you’re prepared for it.

Here are the five steps you need to take to apply for the HUBZone program.

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The Small Business Blog

SBA FINAL RULE: CHANGES TO ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE REQUIREMENT FOR 8(A) ELIGIBILITY (INDIVIDUAL-OWNED COMPANIES) AND NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR WOSB/EDWOSB CERTIFICATION

8(A) CERTIFICATION: WILL OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND OWNERSHIP IN OTHER COMPANIES IMPACT YOUR APPLICATION?

At What Point Must An SBA 8(A) Joint Venture Be Approved?

How Government Contractors Can Foster a Cohesive Team Culture Across Locations and Work Sites

8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone or DBE Certification: Should You Work With a Consultant?

8(a) Certification: Should You Be Concerned If You Derive More than 70 Percent Of Your Revenue From a Single Source?

Let’s Be Honest about the SBA 8(a) Program

NAICS Appeals: What Are They and Do They Work?

Responding to Sources Sought Notices - Yay or Nay?

5 Steps to Apply for the HUBZone Program

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