Small and Disadvantaged Business Programs

Federal ands state programs for small and disadvantaged business concerns can produce substantial benefits for eligible persons. However, to take advantage of those benefits, one must comply with often complicated eligibility and performance requirements. We help clients understand and meet those requirements and, if compliance issues arise, to mitigate those issues. We represent numerous small business concerns, including concerns that are in the 8(a) program, are women-owned, or service disabled veteran owned. We understand the needs of small businesses to raise financing and conduct their business within the restrictions of the SBA regulations, such as the affiliation rules.

As illustrations, in the last year, we have helped a manager of a preclinical research firm form a small business entity, acquire the assets of his employer, and obtain financing; a woman-and-minority owned business sell a majority stake to a service-disabled veteran, and advised a large international business on how to spin off a business subsidiary to allow it to qualify as a US small business.

Large businesses can participate in most federal small business programs through a variety of arrangements, including subcontracts, joint ventures, and mentor-protégé agreements. We help parties to these arrangements meet the eligibility and performance requirements, so that they can derive the greatest possible benefit from these programs.