Recently, Ingenicomm announced that it has completed certification as part of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) business development program. The certification allows Ingenicomm to pursue federal government contracts set aside for 8(a) companies, as well as receiving sole-source contracts directly from government agencies.
The 8(a) program is designed to assist socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs in gaining access to the federal government contracting market. Approval to enter the 8(a) program is granted only after completing a rigorous review of a company’s ownership, management, operations, experience and financials to ensure that applicants meet the exacting standards set for certification. Due to the strength of Ingenicomm’s corporate management and financial performance, the Small Business Administration (SBA) waived the usual requirement that a company be in business for two years prior to being certified.
One of the goals of the 8(a) program is to allow non-8(a) contractors to expand their scope of services. 8(a) contractors are permitted, with the approval of the SBA, to sub-contract a portion of the work to qualified non-8(a) firms, thereby creating an
experienced and well-rounded team that ultimately benefits the client. Recent changes also permit 8(a) firms to form joint ventures and enter into mentor-protege relationships to enhance their ability to perform larger prime contracts.
Ingenicomm’s President and CEO, Amit Puri said, “We are excited about capitalizing on this certification to offer our unique services and satellite ground system products to federal government agencies, and look forward to showing our commitment to the missions they support.”