8(a) Business Development Program
Every federal 8(a) set-aside in your NAICS codes, scored against your profile. We surface the ones built for you and tell you which contracts are coming up for renewal so you can position before pursuit.
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What is 8(a)?
The 8(a) Business Development Program is the SBA program that helps socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses compete for federal contracts. Active 8(a) firms can win sole-source contracts up to $4.5 million for services and $7 million for manufacturing, plus compete in 8(a)-only set-aside competitions. The program runs nine years per firm and is the highest-value entry point into federal contracting for diverse suppliers.
Who qualifies
Contract types
How contractlinx helps
Daily sync of SAM.gov pulls every contract tagged for 8(a), 8(a) sole-source, or 8(a) competitive into one inbox
Match score weights 8(a) set-asides heavier when your profile carries an active 8(a) certification
Recompete hunter surfaces 8(a) contracts ending in the next 60 to 180 days so you can position for the renewal
Gap analysis shows which competitors in your NAICS hold 8(a) status and what dollars went through that set-aside last year
Common questions
SAM.gov daily (every solicitation tagged with 8(a) set-aside type), plus state portal coverage for state-level diversity programs that recognize the 8(a) certification. Grants.gov is included for non-dilutive funding that prioritizes 8(a) firms.
SAM.gov returns thousands of postings without scoring or context. contractlinx ranks every 8(a) opportunity against your NAICS, service area, past performance, and bonding capacity, and adds market intelligence so you can see which agencies actually award through the 8(a) program in your industry.
Yes. The match score works without an 8(a) cert on your profile; 8(a) set-asides simply score lower until you add the cert. Use the gap analysis to estimate the dollar value of 8(a) certification before you commit to the application.