PROGRAMS

Small Business Set-Aside Program
Consists of a buy in which only small business firms can participate. There should be a reasonable expectation that offers will be received from tow or more small firms and fair market price. This set-aside method can require the entire buy be set-aside for small business participation or may require part of the buy be reserved for small business.

Small Business Administration's 8(a) Program
The Small Business Administration's (SBA)8(a) program named from Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act is a business development program that provides its participants access to a variety of business development services, including the opportunity to receive federal contracts on a sole-source or limited competition basis. The procurement method is very flexible and allows recommendation of a
specific contractor for procurement up to $3 million for services and $5 million for manufacturing requirements.

An applicant must qualify as a small business and must be at least 51 percent undonditionally owned by an individual(s) who is a citizen of the United States and who is determined by SBA to be socially and economically disadvantaged. Application for the 8(a) program is through the SBA.
Apply online at www.sba.gov/8abd/.

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program
The HUBZone Program provides for Federal contracting opportunities for qualified small business concerns located in distressed communities and promotes private sector investment and employment opportunities in these communities.
Apply online at www.sba.gov/hubzone.

PROGRAM HISTORY
The HUBZONE Empowerment contracting Program was enacted into law as part of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997. The program falls under the auspices of the U.S. SBA. The program encourages economic development in historically underutilized business zones - "HUBZones" - through the establishment of preferences.

SBA's HUBZone program is in line with the efforts of both the Administration and Congress to promote economic development and employment growth in stressed areas by providing access to more Federal contracting opportunities.

HOW THE HUBZone PROGRAM WORKS
The U.S. SBA
--regulates and implements the program,
--determines which businesses are eligible to receive HUBZone contracts,
--maintains a listing of qualified HUBZone small businesses Federal agencies can use to locate vendors.
The listing is available online at www.sba.gov/hubzone under the subtopic, "Applying for the HUBZone
Certification".
--adjudicates protests of eligibility to receive HUBZone contracts, and
--reports to the Congress on the program's impact on employment and investment in HUBZone areas.

Women-owned Small Business Programs
The Woman-owned Small Business (WOSB) Program came into being as a reult of Executive Order 12138 signed May 1979 which presecribed a national initiative to assist women-owned small business entrepreneaurs. Within the Department of the Army, emphasis has been placed in identifying such firms to ensure they are included on appropriate source lists and afforded the opportunity of competing for
contract and subcontract awards.
Apply online at www.onlinewbc.gov.

Veteran-owned Small Business Programs
The Veterean-owned Small Business Program was established by the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999. The purpose of the program is to provide technical, financial, and procurement assistance by expanding and establishing new assistance programs for vetereans and service-disabled veterans who own or operate small businesses.

Subcontracting Program
Requires, by law, that large firms receiving a prime contract of $500,000 or more ($1 million for construciton contracts) must include subcontracting goals and a plan for meeting those goals to the Procuring Contracting Officer.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minoirity Institutions Program (HBCU/MI)
Evolved through a sweries of Executive Orders, legislation, and regulations. The program was designated to provide a structured effort ot help HBCU/MIs to access federally funded programs. Focus for awards and overall involvement in of these categories applies to grants, and contract awards for research and development, studies, ROTC, fellowships, scholarships, instrumentation, and education and training. Acquisitions can be set-aside for exclusive HBCU/MI participation. Also, HBCU/MIs can receive an evaluation preference in certain competitive situations.

Hispanic-Serving Colleges and Universities (HACU)

Mentor-Protege Program
The objective of the program is to expand the business base of Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) and WOSB (Protege firms). This may be accomplished thrgouth the provision of technical assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of the Protege firm to perform under Department of Defense subcontracts (awarded by mentors) contracts with other Federal agencies and commercial contracts.

Department of Defense Mentor-Protege homepage

The appearance of these hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Corps of Engineers of these web sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the Corps of Engineers does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purposes of this military web site.