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Interested? Qualify Yourself in 3-Minutes Using Our Tool

Use our Qualification tool to see if you are eligible to grow your firm utilizing the 8(a) Certification

8(a) Qualifications

START Reset
1 2 3 4
Step 1

Social Disadvantaged

Reset Exam Pass Issue Fail Incomplete Clarifications

Clarification 1: People with Heritage from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal) are considered Hispanic for proving social disadvantage.

Clarification 2: People from the Middle East and North Africa can successfully apply, however they need a solid narrative.

Clarification 3: Native Alaskans, and Hawaiians often overlook their social disadvantage status.

Clarification 4: The Social Disadvantaged Individual or group of individuals needs to own 51% or more of the firm.

Is the 51% owner(s) of the firm U.S. Citizens

Is 25% or more of your blood heritage from a minority group or do you have a tribal card from a state or federally recognized Native American Indian Tribe?

Ok then are you?
A Women who has suffered substantial gender bias or a Service-Disabled Veterans who has suffered from handicap bias?

Step 2

Economically Disadvantaged

Reset Exam Pass Issue Fail Incomplete Clarifications

Clarification 1: If your business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC or S Corp, the amount of income that rolls onto the owner's taxes does not count towards the $6,500,000 income threshold.

Clarification 2: Distributions that an owner takes from the firm that aren't used for taxes are added to their income and counts toward the $6,500,000 three year average.

Clarification 3: If an individual has money in excess of the $400,000 they can paydown the mortgage on their primary residence, which, in some cases, this can get them under the $400,000 threshold.

Clarification 4: The SBA will pull a credit report on the applicant, with the intention of looking for assets that have not been disclosed to the SBA.

Has the owner of the firm made more than $400,000 per year, on average, for the past 3 years.

Is the owner’s net worth less than $850,000 excluding (a.) the owner’s primary residence, (b.) the business applying for 8(a) (c.) the owners retirement accounts.

Is the owners’ total assets less than $6,500,000 excluding retirement accounts.

Step 3

Potential to Succeed at Federal Contracting

Reset Exam Pass Issue Fail Incomplete Clarifications

Clarification 1: Only the 51% owner of the firm needs to work full-time for the business.

Clarification 2: If a firm has a long-standing client representing 100% of the firm’s business, and the firm loses this client, and obtains another client which now has 100% of the firm’s work, there is often a point in time where the firm becomes compliant with the 8(a) 70% rule and can apply for 8(a).

Clarification 3: The SBA waives the 70% rule for firms applying for 8(a) with a two-year waiver.

Does the owner of the firm work full-time for the business; meaning Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm.

Did the firm make a profit on its most recent tax return.

Does the firm have a positive net worth.

Has the firm been in business for at least two-years?, meaning the business has filed two tax returns with revenue on both.
-or-
Two-year waiver: Has the firm had at least $150,000 in revenue since the inception of the firm as well as a profit on the firm’s most recent tax return. Note: The firm must have at least 1 tax return.

Has the firm obtained more than 70% of the firm’s revenue from a single source? This calculation is for the most recent calendar year to the date of the 8(a) application.

Step 4

Control Issues

Reset Exam Pass Issue Fail Incomplete Clarifications

Clarification 1: Not more than 25% of the firm’s revenue should come from a past employer.

Clarification 2: The firm should not share employees, or office space with a past employer, or firm they have other dealings or entanglements.

Clarification 3: The owner of the firm should be the highest paid person at the firm, unless there is a strong and reasonable justification for this not being the case.

Is the owner of the firm the one managing the day-to-day operations, long-term strategic planning, and the highest compensated person at the firm.

Quick Recap as to What it is Like to Work With Us!

1

Free consultation to determine eligibility and, review potential obstacles

2

Retainer letter and non-disclosure agreement to protect our client's privacy

3

Consultation to develop strategic plan and application checklist

4

Final review of the application

5

Answer SBA Business Opportunity Specialist's inquiries

6

Receive SBA Certification Letter

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