The 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses. The 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The 8(a) Program is an essential instrument for helping socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs gain access to the economic markets that are not difficult to enter. The program helps thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs gain a foothold in government contracting. Participation in the program is divided into two phases over nine years: a four-year developmental stage and a five-year transition stage and has established guidelines to ensure procurements are professionally executed, fair, effective and compliant.

Federal Contract Advantages and Benefits:

Sole-Source Procurement:

A significant benefit from the 8(a) program is that IKHANA is eligible to receive sole-source contracts.

Set-Aside Procurement:

Ikhana is eligible for those set-aside procurement competitions that limit the field of eligible participants to other 8(a) concerns.

Full and Open Procurement Adjustments:

IKHANA is eligible for price evaluation adjustments when bidding on Full and Open procurements for federal contracts. When submitting a bid, the contracting officer adds a weighted factor determined annually by the Department of Commerce to all other offers.

Contracting Officer’s Advantage:

The 8(a) program is the only procurement method that gives Program Managers sole discretion in choosing a contractor team. There are no delays for sole-source selections. There is no requirement for time consuming detailed evaluation of bidders and there is minimal pre-award documentation. An 8(a) contract can be awarded to IKHANA in 30-60 days, compared to 6-9 months required in the baseline procurement cycle and can help the Program Manager achieve the federally mandated Small Disadvantaged Business goals.

Trusted Partners and Subcontractors:

SBA program rules and regulations recognize that a small business may not possess the entire breadth of skills required by the Program Manager. To that end, 8(a) companies are authorized to subcontract work to other firms; in this way, IKHANA can tailor contracting teams for a precise match with the requirement. This represents a substantial opportunity for our trusted partners to pursue and develop business lines in areas previously considered beyond their marketing reach because of the SDB set-aside requirements.