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SBA Encourages More Women Participants

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging more women-owned and non-minority firms to apply for its 8(a) Business Development and Small, Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Programs.

The 8(a)BD and SDB Programs accounted for more than $6 billion and $10 billion, respectively, in Federal Government contracts awarded in FY 1997. These contracts traditionally have been reserved for firms certified by the SBA or self-certified as owned by socially and economically disadvantaged principals who come almost exclusively from designated racial or ethnic groups. Now, however, the SBA has significantly relaxed the eligibility standards for both programs to include women, non-minority owners and other classes, such as the disabled.

Under the new SBA standards, individuals must prove through a "preponderance of evidence" standard that they have been subjected to social and economic disadvantage because of who they are.  Previously, applicants for the programs had to meet the much more demanding standard of demonstrating "clear and convincing" evidence to prove that they were at a substantial disadvantage.
Industry analysts say that recent court rulings on minority business set-aside programs, coupled with the SBA's recognition of the increasingly important role that women-owned business plays in the national economy, encouraged the SBA to aggressively pursue broader participation by women in its programs.

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At Last, a Women-Owned Business Federal Contracting Set-Aside Program

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