8(a) Program Contracts

The 8(a) program is a 9-year business development program for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. It provides access to set-aside and sole-source contracts, mentoring, and business development assistance.

Qualification requires the business to be at least 51% owned and controlled by individuals who demonstrate social and economic disadvantage under SBA's current, fact-specific requirements. SBA no longer applies a race-based rebuttable presumption. The firm must also be small and demonstrate potential for success.

Benefits include 8(a) set-aside opportunities, eligible noncompetitive awards, mentor-protégé opportunities, management and technical assistance, and federal contracting training. FAR 19.805-1 generally uses $8.5 million for manufacturing and $5.5 million for other acquisitions as competitive thresholds, but it includes conditions and exceptions rather than a universal sole-source cap.

The 8(a) program is a 9-year program divided into two stages: a 4-year developmental stage and a 5-year transition stage. Participants must demonstrate increasing competitiveness and decreasing reliance on set-asides during the program.