Archive for December, 2009

By Rob Capriccioso in Indian Country Today

WASHINGTON – Through her words and actions in 2009, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., became one of the biggest opponents of programs that have strongly aided American Indian and Alaska Native businesses.
In July, McCaskill held a Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight hearing, during which she expressed beliefs that Alaska Native Corporations [...]

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com
A U.S. Small Business Administration program that awards advantages in contracting to Alaska Native corporations is valuable to the whole state and should be continued, Congressman Don Young and Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan said at a news conference Tuesday. The SBA’s 8(a) program is under scrutiny in Congress, where some members [...]

A note from Sarah Lukin, Executive Director of the Native American Contractors Association.
I have received a number of phone calls and emails over the last few days asking me several questions regarding the SBA proposed 8(a) regulations and the upcoming Tribal regulations. This email and attachments are designed to help address those questions, and others, [...]

By Robert Brodsky – Government Executive.com
About 200 people are expected to attend a two-day meeting in Washington this week to offer comments on proposed rule changes to the Small Business Administration’s  8(a) Business Development program, according to agency officials.

The potential revisions to the 8(a) program also are expected to draw large crowds outside the Beltway [...]

The October unemployment rate for America topped the charts at 10.2 percent. The message is clear: Americans need jobs and Native 8(a) companies deliver. Take a look at the Alutiiq Corporation’s job openings around the U.S.: http://www.alutiiq.com/html/careers.php

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency recently awarded Clarus Technologies its 2009 Minority Green Firm of the Year award for the company’s specialized technique of reprocessing fluids in a way that is beneficial to the environment
“After providing green services for 15 years, it is nice to be recognized formally” Clarus CEO Karl [...]

Nearly 50 members of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce attended a Native 8(a) Works informational presentation held Nov. 18 at the Kenai Merritt Inn. Clyde Gooden of NANA Development Corp. was the presenter.
Gooden’s talk was well received, generating insightful questions and positive comments from the audience. One local resident commented, “I learned more about Alaska [...]

In an effort to broaden the support base for the Native 8(a) program, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan recently met with a small group of Native corporate executives. Chugach Alaska President and CEO Barney Uhart emphasized an often overlooked aspect of 8(a) contracting – the government’s ability to negotiate the contract.
“This is not a situation where [...]

The U.S. Small Business Administration will take testimony at a two-day public meeting in the nation’s capital next week. The meeting allows anyone concerned about the proposed changes to the 8(a) program an opportunity to voice those concerns in front of a panel of SBA representatives.
In late October, the agency published the proposed regulation changes [...]