Native American-owned business certification and contracts
A founder's guide to certifying a Native American-owned business: SBA 8(a) eligibility, NMSDC's tribal-enrollment documentation, the costs and timelines, and the financing …
The Journal
Working coverage of certifications, corporate procurement, federal contracting, financing, and the operators making each work for diverse-owned businesses. Every piece checked against primary sources.
Find my certifications →A founder's guide to certifying a Native American-owned business: SBA 8(a) eligibility, NMSDC's tribal-enrollment documentation, the costs and timelines, and the financing …
The SBA charges nothing to apply for 8(a) certification. The honest cost is roughly 200 hours of your time, optional consultant fees …
DHS is one of the federal government's largest buyers, with over $15 billion in annual contract obligations and an active Mentor-Protege Program …
The 8(a) program gives certified firms access to sole-source federal contracts up to $4.5M and competitive set-asides for nine years — but …
The SBA certifies 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and SDVOSB firms — and then buys IT, consulting, and professional services using those same certifications. …
Corporate buyers spend more on diverse professional services firms than any other category. Management consulting alone under SBA 8(a) can yield federal …
Reader tools
Most of what gets covered here turns into a question of which certification you should pursue first. The eligibility quiz checks your business against every certification we track and returns a ranked list with the buyers each opens.