8(a) Business Development Program

8(a) Program Certification BenefitsThe federal government's goal is to award at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses each year. The government limits competition for certain federal contracts to businesses in the 8(a) program. Obtaining an 8(a) certification makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts.An 8(a) certification lasts 9 years and a business can earn up to $100 million or five times your SBA size limit. As a government contractor with an 8(a) certification, there will be solicitations with the 8(a) designation in which you, along with other 8(a) businesses, will have exclusive bidding rights. At times, you may be the only business bidding on an opportunity.Federal contracting officers have quotas and are incentivized to meet their set-aside awards. The government’s goal is to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars (roughly $25 billion) toward small, disadvantaged businesses.