Native American Contractors Association’s (NACA) alert about tribal consultations

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, Native 8(a)s may have. Please feel free to share this email with your network within the Native 8(a) community.

Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations should plan to testify at the upcoming Tribal consultations on the proposed 8(a) regulations. This is your chance to be heard and make a difference. For your convenience, below is comprehensive information on the upcoming consultations and listening sessions as well as instructions on where to send written comments on the proposed regulations. Attached is the Federal Register notices relating to the Consultations and the extension of the comment period to January 28, 2010. I’ve also attached the proposed regulations themselves and a brief synopsis (in layman’s terms) of the proposed regulations produced by the Native American Contractors Association.

The official comment period has been extended to January 28, 2010. Thank you to those organizations who sent a letter supporting the extension of the comment period.

Two formal Tribal consultations are scheduled:

Both consultations will run from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

Pre-registration requests to attend and/or testify must be sent to:

Ms. Carol Walker

Office of Native American Affairs

U.S. Small Business Administration

409 Third Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416

Email: carol.y.walker@sba.gov

Fax: (202) 481–0614

The Native American Contractors Association will be attending both consultations. The consultations will include a transcriptionist. Letters announcing the consultations will be (if they haven’t already) going out to Tribal leadership of all federally recognized tribes.

Native Enterprises may submit written comments to:

Mr. Joseph Loddo

Associate Administrator for Business Development

U.S. Small Business Administration

409 3rd Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416

Email: Joseph.Loddo@SBA.gov

Fax: (202) 481–2740

If you are submitting testimony please consider forwarding it to me at sarah@nativecontractors.org. I would like to see what Native Enterprises from across the country are saying about the proposed regulations.

If your Native Enterprise cannot attend one of the Tribal consultations, please consider attending one of the following listening sessions:

All listening sessions will run from 9:00am to 4:00pm.