Around 5,900 8(a) certified businesses are located in the United States, according to the Small Business Administration. Virginia, Maryland and DC are where 38% of these small businesses are situated (the greater DC area). Federal sales for businesses in the Washington, DC, area average $3MM annually.

Outside of DC Outliers

Even the 8(a) Certification DC Beltway firms are outperformed by four states. These are North Dakota, Alaska, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

8(a) Opportunities

There is little competition in some states, which enables an 8(a) firm to find a niche. This gives small businesses the opportunity to succeed greatly by pursuing local contracts. Later, some of these businesses take the initiative to establish a DC office in order to benefit from a wider variety in federal 8(a) contracts.

You can use the list below to determine how well 8(a) firms are performing in your state (or where your principal state of performance exists).

If you have interest in exploring your firm’s eligibility and potential being a part of the SBA’s 8(a) BD Program, I always recommend contacting an industry expert such as ez8a or Advance 8a. Neither charge for an initial consultation.