As per the federal law, the government is set to spend 23% of their spending with small businesses, including 5% with women-owned firms, 5% with disadvantaged businesses, 3% with service disabled veteran-owned businesses and 3% with businesses residing in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone). But, without any certification that confirms your entity as a small business, you are not likely to participate in federal contracting opportunities. Hence, acquiring a 8a certification is extremely important. Even though they do not confirm successful acquisition, but they can be a gateway towards it. Rather, an 8a certification, when used effectively, can impact the federal acquisition process, enabling a small business to compete for a contract that might have been out of reach.
What is 8a Certification
If you are a newcomer to government contracting, you may know a little bit about 8a certification and a term called set asides. If you don’t, in that case, a set aside is government defined categories of contract that are reserved for similar sized business. From women owned business to the veteran run firms, all the socially disadvantaged business owners get highly benefitted by it. If you qualify for any of the certifications through the 8a certification, you have all the right to market yourself during acquisition. If you are new entrepreneur in this journey, visit the SBA website to see if you qualify for any of the certifications. At this phase, when the federal government is opening doors to its contracts you just cannot afford to exist without certification.
How an 8a Certification Helps
With 8a certification, there are many different ways that you might avail the requirement of set aside. And, when you have an access to the set aside of the federal laws, you are obviously at a benefitted place. Keep a track of an agencies acquisition plan well in advance. Track the projected business Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) from the agency administering the contract know that you are capable of doing the work that needs to be performed. Precisely, it’s all about your marketing skills and the ability to convince the person sitting on the other side. You can also speak with the contracting officer who is in charge of taking care of everything in the perfect manner. With 8a certification, you can participate in the federal contracting events without facing the initial hassles.
Final Thoughts
Having an 8a certification really helps a small business in participating in the federal contracting opportunity. However, they do not guarantee a project whatsoever. Still having the certification helps you get into the contracting events which you would not have received without a certificate.
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