Anchorage Mayor supports Native 8(a) program

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 government says,’Here’s the contract, spend what you want,’” Uhart explained. “The contracting officer picks apart our proposal and our financial information and negotiates what ends up being a very small profit margin. Ultimately it’s a great value to the government and can cut a year or more off the time it takes to award a contract. We all know time is money”

Chenega Corporation’s Kristina Woolston and Robin Kornfield from NANA Development Corp. pointed out that just as the Native 8(a) program is starting to work as Congress intended, it has come under increased scrutiny. The irony was not lost on Mayor Sullivan.

“That sounds like a typical scenario in Washington, D.C. – if the program works, something must be wrong,” Sullivan said. “I recognize the value of this program. I see it in our economy. It’s creating jobs not only in Anchorage but across the country, and I will do whatever I can to help preserve the program.”

Sullivan said he would support the introduction of an assembly resolution and fight for a similar resolution at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in January.