Archive for October, 2009

By Diana Haecker
The Native American Contractor’s Association and the newly formed Native 8(a) Works group hosted breakout sessions under the title of “Tribal consultation on government contracting: 8(a) programs nuts and bolds” behind closed doors Oct. 22-23 during the annual Alaska Federation of Natives Conference.
The consultations were closed to reporters to allow delegates to speak [...]

Senator’s questions may change federal process.
Alaska Native leaders on Monday urged state lawmakers to join them in defending an embattled federal contracting program that has spurred enormous growth among Alaska Native firms in recent years.
Several legislators, including Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, pledged to support the Native firms in their ongoing fight on Capitol Hill to [...]

The US Small Business Administration is prepared to issue new regulations changing the federal oversight of the 8(a) program that allows regional and village native corporations to avoid the competitive bidding process on many federal purchases.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska — When national lawmakers start talking about Native 8(a) contracts, Alaska pays attention. That’s just what happened this past July and now the state is organizing to protect native corporations that depend on 8(a).
The 8(a) program works within the federal government, which gives preference to Alaska Native corporations in landing federal contracts without [...]

Alaska State Legislature joint meeting: Senate special committee on world trade, technology and innovation and House special committee on economic development, international trade and tourism
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From a small tourism office in downtown, you can tell a lot about unemployment in Anchorage.
“People when they come here are usually stressed, depressed … sometimes you’ll ask one question and a woman will sit down and burst into tears,” said Essie Rastopsoff, who works at Alaska’s Finest Tours and Cruises at Fifth and Gambell.
The [...]

Native corporations are speaking out about a federal program that’s come under scrutiny.  Watch Video