How does the 8(a) program accommodate Native American ownership groups?
Two 8(a) provisions reflect the unique nature of businesses owned by Native American groups: • The program doesn’t limit the size of sole-source contracts they can secure. • Native American groups can own more than one 8(a) business Most 8(a) business owners are individuals or families. With these in mind, the 8(a) program offers mentoring and other assistance. The program recognizes that these businesses may lack the financial or managerial wherewithal to begin—or sustain—businesses on their own. For these businesses, the program limits the size of sole-source Federal contracts to $3 million. For Native American ownership groups, Congress did not impose the $3 million contract ceiling. This makes sense for two reasons: • Each Native American ownership group represents—not a single or small group of disadvantaged individuals— but hundreds or thousands of disadvantaged owners. With a $3 million contract limit, earnings benefits to individual Native American shareholders would be disprop
