Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on January 28, 2010 under Small Biz Certifications,Small Biz Planning | Be the First to Comment

In order to do business with the Federal Government, an interested small business should become certified under the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program. The SBA’s mission is to maintain and strengthen the Nation’s economy by aiding, counseling, assisting, and protecting the interests of small businesses and by helping businesses and families recover from disasters. The BD (Business Development) assists firms owned and controlled by economically and socially disadvantaged individuals, enter the economic mainstream. The 8a certification process is complex and takes on average three to four months to get completed. Once you have completed the process and received your wonderful letter saying, “congratulations you have been accepted” you still have to complete a SBA form 1010C.

This is a business plan that includes a detailed marketing plan for your business. Additional required topics included within the 1010C form are as follows: executive summary, business history, business environment, products and services, as well as other crucial topics. As soon as you receive your letter of approval from the SBA you will be asked to contact your local office (these specific details will be listed in your letter) and set up an appointment to review your business plan. This meeting will help to evaluate your small business’ potential for success as a certified 8(a) participant. If you are prepared for that meeting by already having a business plan prepared, it will enable you to complete the process immediately and receive your 8a certification. In other words, you enable your small business to begin bidding and contracting.

This is the final step to the SBA’s 8(a) certification process and it can delay the process if you are not prepared with a 1010c plan. Don’t delay your firm’s ability to receive contracts because you don’t have a business plan. In the words of John L. Beckley, “Most people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.”