The Native 8(a) program demonstrates Congress’ commitment to promoting tribal self-determination and self-sufficiency. This business development program reflects the unique character of Native communities and their responsibility to provide governmental services and other benefits to their members. It also offers a critical tool to prepare the next generation of Native leaders to lead economic enterprises that benefit all Americans.

To promote economic development for American Indian tribes and Alaska Native Regional and Village Corporations (ANCs), Congress authorized their participation in the Small Business Act’s Section 8(a) Business Development program. When certified as an eligible 8(a) participant, American Indian tribes and ANC start-up businesses may contract with the federal government under terms that permit a federal agency to award a contract not subject to the competitive threshold that applies to individually owned 8(a) companies and allows tribes and ANCs to operate multiple 8(a) firms. Congress purposefully created these distinctions to further its federal trust obligation to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and to provide tools to combat escalating poverty in tribal communities and to remedy the low level of American Indian and Alaska Native participation in the government contracting industry.
(National Congress of American Indians, NCAI, Tribal Governance & Government Contracting)

• Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) may be awarded sole-source contracts of any size. They are exempt from the 8(a)sole-source thresholds of $4 million for service contracts, and $6.5 million for manufacturing contracts (FAR 19.805-1)
• ANC sole-source awards cannot be protested [CFR 124.517 (a)]
• The ‘Head of Agency’ thresholds for native 8(a) contracts from $22-93 million is no longer at the head of agency level and can be delegated to a lower level within the agency
• The approval threshold should NOT be seen as a barrier to awarding these contracts ANCs may own multiple 8(a) companies [13 CFR 124.109 (c)(2)(iii)]

• Small Business Administration defines all Alaska Native Corporations as Indian Tribes for purposes of eligibility for special programs (13 CFR 124)
• “Indian organizations and Indian-owned economic enterprises shall have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in performing contracts awarded by Federal agencies.” (FAR 26.102)

We pride ourselves in bringing the right components of the business and project together.