The federal government's fiscal year ends September 30th each year. There is an interesting trend that takes place for 8(a) firms in the Construction Industry where approximately 35-45 percent of projects are awarded during the month of September serendipitously coinciding with the federal government's fiscal year end. See table below:

The general timeframe that is required to have a firm apply for an 8(a) Certification utilizing outside help is currently roughly 1 month to put the application together and at least 3½ months of SBA processing time, for a total of 4½ months. Therefore, applying today would yield an 8(a) at the beginning of September, setting the firm up with a chance at its’ first 8(a) contract during that month.  

I have broken out a more detailed breakdown of the 8(a) Construction end of year spending phenomenon for 2021. See table below:

Generally, getting your first 8(a) contract is the hardest, so firms that can get a contract in September can utilize this success to keep the ball rolling the rest of the year.

If you would like assistance exploring your firm’s qualifications and potential utilizing the 8(a) Certification, I always recommend contacting an industry expert such as ez8a or Advance 8a. They can help with all facets of the application process, as well as how to market your small business post acceptance into the SBA’s 8(a) BD Program. They do not charge for an initial consultation.