Description

The 8(a) Business Development Program helps small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace. The Program offers contractual assistance, financial assistance and management and technical assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Under this program, the federal government limits competition for certain contracts to participating businesses in order to help provide a level playing field for small disadvantaged owned businesses. The federal government's goal is to award at least eleven percent (11%) of all federal contracting dollars spent stateside to small disadvantaged businesses – a category that includes 8(a) firms – each year.