Graduation 12/20/2022
The SBA 8(a) program was designed as a business assistance program for small, disadvantaged businesses. The 8(a) program allows federal agencies to quickly and efficiently review and select The Bridge Group for projects and contracts that fall within The Bridge Group’s NAICS codes, and award business to The Bridge Group through a simplified acquisition process.
Key 8(a) Benefits:
-
Faster Acquisition Time
Sole-sourcing with The Bridge Group takes less than 10 business days, on average. Compared to the 60-90+ day lead-time required for a traditional acquisition process, utilizing The Bridge Group as an SBA-certified 8(a) vendor allows performance to begin on a project more quickly, saving time and resources.
-
Faster Negotiation
Agencies can quickly negotiate and award contracts to The Bridge Group. Simplified Acquisition Efforts (contracts under $150,000) do not require technical proposals and can be negotiated directly with The Bridge Group based on a cost proposal. If the work exceeds the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, technical and cost proposals will serve as a baseline for contract negotiations.
-
No Award Protests
An 8(a) sole source contract award cannot be protested (per 13 CFR 124.517).
-
Benefit of Open Discussions
Law and regulations permit open discussion between the Government and The Bridge Group throughout all phases of the procurement. Such interactive discussion ensures complete and comprehensive understanding of Government requirements and mutual exploration of alternative approaches to solutions (per 13 CFR 124.503).
-
Qualified Contractor of Choice
When sole-sourcing to The Bridge Group, your agency has the ability to develop a relationship with a contractor that you can trust. Since The Bridge Group can be awarded multiple contracts through sole-sourcing, building a relationship allows The Bridge Group to better service your agency. A direct contractor relationship eliminates the need for your agency to familiarize multiple contractors with your operational goals and allows new projects to start with existing momentum each time you work with The Bridge Group.
The federal government's goal is to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses including 8(a) Certified Businesses.