SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS
Procurement Center Representatives  
The SBA operates a Procurement Center Representatives (PCR) program to
assist small businesses in obtaining federal contracts.  PCRs are located at
various SBA procurement area offices and federal buying centers around
the country.  There are three types of PCRs:

Traditional Procurement Center Representatives-TPCRs increase the small
business share of federal procurement awards by initiating small business
set-asides, reserving procurements for competition among small business
firms; providing small business sources to federal buying activities; and
counseling small firms.

Breakout Procurement Center Representatives -BPCRs advocate for the
breakout of items for full and open competition to effect savings to the
federal government.

Commercial Marketing Representatives -CMRs identify, develop and market
small businesses to large prime contractors and assist small businesses in
identifying and obtaining subcontracts.

Locate SBA Procurement Area Offices and PCRs

HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program
The term HUBZone comes from the phrase, "Historically Underutilized
Business Zone"

The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program is designed to stimulate
economic development and create jobs in urban and rural communities by
providing federal contracting preferences to small businesses. These
preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification by
being located in a HUBZone designated area or employing staff who live in
such an area.   

The program resulted from provisions contained in the Small Business
Reauthorization Act of 1997. The program is administered by a staff in
Washington, D.C. in cooperation with field staff located in SBA District
Offices around the country.
8(a) Business Development Program
The SBA administers two particular business
assistance programs for small disadvantaged
businesses (SDBs). These programs are the
8(a) Business Development Program and the
Small Disadvantaged Business Certification
Program. While the 8(a) Program offers a
broad scope of assistance to socially and
economically disadvantaged firms, SDB
certification strictly pertains to benefits in
Federal procurement. Companies which are
8(a) firms automatically qualify for SDB
certification.

Todays 8(a) Business Development Program is
strengthened and improved to be a truly
effective business development vehicle. New
regulations permit 8(a) companies to form
beneficial teaming partnerships and allow
Federal agencies to streamline the
contracting process. New rules make it easier
for non-minority firms to participate by proving
their social disadvantage. We also have
implemented the new Mentor-Protégé
Program to allow starting 8(a) companies to
learn the ropes from experienced businesses.
Our task is to teach 8(a) and other small
companies how to compete in the Federal
contracting arena and how to take advantage
of greater subcontracting opportunities
available from large firms as the result of
public-private partnerships.

The new and improved 8(a) Program has
become an essential instrument for helping
socially and economically disadvantaged
entrepreneurs gain access to the economic
mainstream of American society. SBA has
helped thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs
over the years to gain a foothold in
government contracting. Participation is
divided into two phases over nine years: a
four-year developmental stage and a five-year
transition stage. In fiscal year 1998, more
than 6,100 firms participated in the 8(a)
Program and were awarded $6.4 billion in
Federal contract awards.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the program, a small business
must be owned and controlled by a socially
and economically disadvantaged individual.
Under the Small Business Act, certain
presumed groups include African Americans,
Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific
Americans, Native Americans, and
Subcontinent Asian Americans. Other
individuals can be admitted to the program if
they show through a "preponderance of the
evidence" that they are disadvantaged
because of race, ethnicity, gender, physical
handicap, or residence in an environment
isolated from the mainstream of American
society. In order to meet the economic
disadvantage test, all individuals must have a
net worth of less than $250,000, excluding
the value of the business and personnel
residence.

Successful applicants must also meet
applicable size standards for small business
concerns; be in business for at least two years;
display reasonable success potential; and
display good character. Although the two-year
requirement may be waived, firms must
continue to comply with various requirements
while in the program.

Applying to the 8(a) Program

You can apply to the 8(a) Program by
contacting any SBA district office. For more
information or questions, call the Division of
Program Certification & Eligibility at (202)
205-6417.