1. Update on the 8(a) Program
Smart – Bold - Accessible
Update on the 8(a) Program
Jackie Robinson-Burnette (AA/BD)
Associate Administrator
Office of Business Development
SBA Headquarters, Washington DC

2. Mission
The Office of Business Development executes activities authorized under Sections 8(a) and 7(j) of the Small Business Act to provide business development assistance to firms that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The office fulfills its mission by certifying the eligibility of prospective 8(a) participants, and managing a national program that provides mentoring, marketing, managerial, technical, and procurement assistance to help 8(a) participants achieve their full competitive potential.
Relevance and importance to economic strength of the Nation
Impact on job creation
Impacting the global economy and world strength
Public service and the opportunity to help shape our future

3. Office of BD’s NEW Priorities
Grow the 8(a) Program by 1,000 new 8(a) certified firms
Reduce the Administrative burdens on 8(a) applicants and participants
Increase 8(a) contracting opportunities
Rebuild the trust of federal agencies….
Reverse the steady annual decline in 8(a) contract dollars
Significantly reduce program termination rate w/Annual Reviews
Re-engineer the 7j Program (FREE Business Development Training)
Enhance and grow the Mentor-Protégé Program
Build the morale, open communication, and develop leaders
Be #1 in customer service (improve our reputation)
What I learned about BD’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities during my first 6-months on the job….
8(a) Application Processing Timelines
7j Training
Annual Reviews
Terminations
Business Development
Federal Agency decline in 8(a) contracts

4. Focus on Elements of Eligibility & Reduce Administrative Burdens on Applicants
US Citizen
Size (by NAICS)
Social Disadvantage
Economic Disadvantage
Ownership
Control
Potential for Success
Other eligibility criteria (character)
Back to Basics……
for 8(a) applicants
We want your business!
Team Successes
Recommended eliminating 27 of 54 documents
Identified regulatory changes required (minimal changes required)
Drafted form revisions (clear & streamlined)
Issued test case procedures to SFO & PHL 8(a) application processing centers.
Test cases conducted May (approvals granted for a handful of firms in days from application receipt to AA/BD signature)
Procedure notice released to mitigate return of applications for minor reasons (added requirement for supervisory approval)
% rate of approvals increase from 47% in FY14 to 76% in FY15

5. Fast Track Contracting using the 8(a) Sole Source Contracting Authority
Contract price, including options, is $6.5 million or less for manufacturing NAICS codes.
Contract price, including options, $4.0 or less million for all other contracts.
Participants owned by Indian Tribes, ANCs, and NHOs (DoD only) are exempt from the competitive thresholds.
Agency must complete Justification and Approval (J&A) for sole source contracts over $20M.
Commitment of Funds to Contract in 15 days or less.
Agency offering.
(a) After completing its evaluation, the agency must notify the SBA of the extent of its plans to place 8(a) contracts with the SBA for specific quantities of items or work. The notification must identify the time frames within which prime contract and subcontract actions must be completed in order for the agency to meet its responsibilities. The notification must also contain the following information applicable to each prospective contract:
(1) A description of the work to be performed or items to be delivered, and a copy of the statement of work, if available.
(2) The estimated period of performance.
(3) The NAICS code that applies to the principal nature of the acquisition.
(4) The anticipated dollar value of the requirement, including options, if any.
(5) Any special restrictions or geographical limitations on the requirement (for construction, include the location of the work to be performed).
(6) Any special capabilities or disciplines needed for contract performance.
(7) The type of contract anticipated.
(8) The acquisition history, if any, of the requirement, including the names and addresses of any small business contractors that have performed this requirement during the previous 24 months.
(9) A statement that prior to the offering no solicitation for the specific acquisition has been issued as a small business, HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside, or a set-aside under the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program, and that no other public communication (such as a notice through the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE)) has been made showing the contracting agency’s clear intention to set-aside the acquisition for small business, HUBZone small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, or a set-aside under the WOSB Program.
(10) Identification of any particular 8(a) concern designated for consideration, including a brief justification, such as-
(i) The 8(a) concern, through its own efforts, marketed the requirement and caused it to be reserved for the 8(a) Program; or
(ii) The acquisition is a follow-on or renewal contract and the nominated concern is the incumbent.
(11) Bonding requirements, if applicable.
(12) Identification of all SBA field offices that have asked for the acquisition for the 8(a) Program.
(13) A request, if appropriate, that a requirement with an estimated contract value under the applicable competitive threshold be awarded as an 8(a) competitive contract (see (d)).
(14) A request, if appropriate, that a requirement with a contract value over the applicable competitive threshold be awarded as a sole source contract (see (b)).
(15) Any other pertinent and reasonably available data.
(b)(1) An agency offering a construction requirement for which no specific offeror is nominated should submit it to the SBA District Office for the geographical area where the work is to be performed.
(2) An agency offering a construction requirement on behalf of a specific offeror should submit it to the SBA District Office servicing that concern.
(3) Sole source requirements, other than construction, should be forwarded directly to the district office that services the nominated firm. If the contracting officer is not nominating a specific firm, the offering letter should be forwarded to the district office servicing the geographical area in which the contracting office is located.

6. Release of Requirements in the 8(a) BD Program : 13 CFR § 124.504
(d) A follow-on procurement to an 8(a) contract remains in the 8(a) BD program unless the AA/BD agrees with an agency written request to release it from the 8(a) BD program.
In determining whether to release, the Associate Administrator of Business Development (AA/BD) will consider: (i) Whether agency met SDB goal; (ii) Where in agency is in achieving other SB goals; (iii) Whether requirement is critical to 8(a) participant currently performing it.
(3) SBA will only release requirement where procuring activity agrees to procure as SB, HUBZone, SDVOSB or WOSB set-aside.

7. Streamline Annual Review
Reduce the o/a 150 firms terminated each year within the first 3 years of certification that have yet to win an 8(a) contract.
Streamline initiative for Annual Reviews (2016)
Manage risk of fraud, waste, and abuse.
Focus on business development.
If you have ideas, send them to your BOS.

8. Re-Shaping the 7(j) Training Program
Training is available in several areas of federal contracting.
Program is underutilized
Current training topics include:
DCAA cost accounting standards
Strategizing for a winning price
How RFP elements influence strategy
Developing the tech proposal
Cybersecurity (coming soon)
Development of HR systems
Free Training!

9. Strengthening 7(j) with more of ….
How to Prepare for a DCAA Audit
Acquisition Law (Understanding the Federal
Acquisition Regulation (FAR))
Project Management
Proposal Writing
Cost Estimating
Contract Planning
Contract Execution & Management
Contract Negotiation Techniques
Advance Contract Pricing
Quality Assurance Basics

10. Strengthening 7(j) with more of ….
Strategies to Secure Sole Source Contracts
Understanding Contract Types in the Federal
Government
The Process of Awarding Contracts/after the Award
Assistance for 8(a) firms in the Transitional Stage/
Transitioning out of the 8(a) Program
Sales techniques for Federal clients
Quality Control Training
Program Management Training
RS Means Training for improving cost estimating
Effective branding and benchmarking
Facility security clearance training

11. SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
Mentors can have up to 3 Protégés.
SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
Headquarters review time reduced from 30 days to 5 days!
8(a) firms submit the written MP Agreement to the local SBA District Office. The Mentor agrees to provide specific assistance to 8(a) protégé. The package is forwarded to the AA/BD.
The agreements must enhance the capabilities of the Protégé; it’s not just for winning contracts. Compliance with M/P agreement is evaluated as part of 8(a) annual review.
Large Business Mentors may form a joint venture with 8(a) Protégé and the JV entity is considered small for any Federal procurement (exclusion from affiliation).
JV must perform 51% of the work; 8(a) Protégé must perform at least 40% of the 51%.
Streamline the 8(a) Mentor Protégé Program
Reduce redundancy in the review process by the field staff and headquarters
Reduce administrative burdens on Protégés, Mentors and field staff
Shorten cycle time on application process
Eliminate unnecessary shipping of documents
Small Business Mentor Protégé Program
Program in development; implementation likely this summer
Opportunity for all small businesses to participate in MP program

12. SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
Mentors can have up to 3 Protégés.
SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
Headquarters review time reduced from 30 days to 5 days!
Only 398 certified 8(a) firms have mentors through the SBA Mentor Protégé Program.
Mentors reduce the learning curve
Mentors significantly enhance business development
8(a) Graduates are encouraged to serve as mentors.
Mentor Protégé Conference with SPEED-DATING this summer (June 2016) in Washington DC.

13. Preparing to be Ranked #1 in Customer Service
The Office of Business Development will be known for providing the best customer service in government!
Phone calls and s will be answered timely by technically competent professional staff.
The SBA will increase training and development of the staff to improve morale and increase skills.
Our Reputation is at Stake: Daily, I wonder if 8(a) applicants and participants had an alternative place to apply for certification and to get business development, would the SBA be the first choice?

14. Things to Watch For in FY 2016/2017!
Partnership with MBDA for graduated 8(a) firms
8(a) CEO Boot Camp with successful graduates as instructors
2nd Annual Mentor Protégé conference in Washington DC.
More firms this year!
Speed dating to match prospective mentors & protégés
Hear about other federal agency MP Programs
Benefits Report for Entity Owned firms
New streamlined forms for the 8(a) application with faster processing timelines.
Partnership with SCORE & PTAC to roll out new application process.

15. Office of Business Development
Jackie Robinson-Burnette
Associate Administrator
Robert Watkins
Deputy Associate Administrator
Over 160
8(a) Business Opportunity Specialists (BOS)
57 BD Personnel within the HQs
Office of Program Review
Sharon Gurley, Director
Office of Certification & Eligibility
Van Tran,
Director
Office of Management & Technical Assistance
Stanley Jones, Jr.,
Director
Philadelphia
Cert. & Elig. Center
Joseph Donnini, Chief
San Francisco
Cert. & Elig. Center
Teresa Tyhurst, Chief
East Area
Continuing Elig. Center
Richard Blum, Chief
West Area
Continuing Elig. Center
Francine Morris, Chief

16. Smart – Bold - Accessible
Jackie Robinson-Burnette, SES
SBA Headquarters, Washington DC