SBA 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
As an 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business, Akumen qualifies for sole-source and competitive set-aside contracts.
The 8(a) program simplifies the procurement process and allows government program managers several benefits that include:
- Reduced procurement time for program managers
- Elimination of multiple required approval levels
- Pre-certification of approved companies eliminates the need for evaluation of bidders
- Pre-award documentation is not required
8(a) Ordering Guide
Process Overview
The process of using the 8(a) program is intentionally simple. As a pre-requisite, the program manager must have a valid requirement, a statement of work, and available funds. From that point, there are 6 steps to follow:
- Select a Firm
- Prepare a Procurement Request (Noting the Selected Firm)
- Receive “Authorization to Negotiate” from the SBA
- Issue a Request for Proposal
- Evaluate Proposal
- Award the Contract
As a Program Manager, you are encouraged to connect with small business firms to aid in the selection process (step 1 above) but are not required to interview more than one firm.
