The Department of Defense (DoD) Indian Initiative Program is a federal program that provides support to Native American and Alaska Native-owned small businesses. It was established to help promote economic development in Indian Country by ensuring that Native American businesses are included in the federal contracting landscape. This blog post will provide an overview of the program, as well as how to become a part of it.
What Does The Program Do?
The DoD Indian Initiative Program (IIP) encourages government agencies to increase the number of contracts awarded to Native American-owned small businesses. It also seeks to improve the capacity of these businesses so that they can compete for and win larger and more complex contracts. To do this, IIP provides resources such as training, mentoring, and technical assistance. In addition, IIP connects small business owners with opportunities to build relationships within their communities and with other stakeholders in order to gain access to new markets.
How To Become A Part Of It?
In order to become a part of the DoD Indian Initiative Program, you must first register your business with SAM.gov (the System for Award Management). Once your business is registered, you must submit an application for certification through the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED). After submitting your application, it will be reviewed and you may be granted certification if you meet all eligibility requirements.
Once certified, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the benefits that come with being part of IIP including access to exclusive contracting opportunities, networking events, specialized training programs, and more. Additionally, certified businesses will have priority consideration when applying for certain types of grants or loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Why Partner With Native Owned Businesses?
Working with Native-owned 8(a) government contractors offers a wide range of benefits to companies, both public and private. One primary benefit is the access to streamlined contract process with the potential of reduced delivery timeframes and greater efficiency. Additionally, these contracts offer a competitive edge to businesses, as the 8(a) certification guarantees that preference is given to the Native-owned contractor over any other bidder.
Not only does this reduce online competition for these contracts for non-Native owned bidders, but it helps to increase economic opportunities for those who continue to suffer from significant socio-economic disadvantages caused by centuries of government imbalance and broken promises. Finally, firms who partner with Native-owned 8(a) contractors are sure to receive quality services that reflect the commitment of their underserved partners in providing exemplary results while benefitting longterm equity and social justice efforts in Indigenous communities across America.
DIGITALSPEC – A Proud SBA 8(a) NHO
As a Native-owned Hawaiian Organization (NHO) 8(a), DIGITALSPEC Technologies offers unique contracting benefits for strategic partners across many areas IT and business government contracting:
- $25M Direct Awards. IETS dba DIGITALSPEC may receive direct awards up to $22M that exceed normal SBA thresholds per 13 CFR 124.506(b)(2)
- $100M Direct Awards. IETS dba DIGITALSPEC may receive direct awards up to $100M per the following class deviation
- Awards cannot be protested. Awards to NHO 8(a) cannot be protested per 13 CFR 124.517(a)
- Follow-on to competitive awards can be sole sourced. As an NHO, IETS dba DIGITALSPEC may receive sole source awards after a contract was competitively awarded in the 8(a) program
- Faster procurements via Alpha Contracting
Conclusion:
The DoD Indian Initiative Program is dedicated to supporting Native American-owned small businesses by providing them with resources such as training and mentorship opportunities so they can compete for government contracts on equal footing with non-Native businesses. Becoming a part of it requires registering your business on SAM.gov and obtaining certification through NCAIED’s application process. With IIP’s help, eligible Native American-owned businesses can access exclusive contracting opportunities while building relationships within their communities and beyond in order to gain access to new markets. If you’re interested in becoming a part of this program or learning more about it, please contact us today! We’d love to help!
