Advantages of Contracting With Alaska Native Corporations

Federal laws enacted since 1971 provide special contracting privileges to Alaska Native Corporations (ANC), which are deemed socially and economically disadvantaged [(13 CFR 124.109(a)(2)]. As an ANC, EAS offers the following contracting advantages:

Sole-Source Set-Asides and Contract Awards

• Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act authorizes federal set-asides and sole-source contract awards to socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses.

Exemption from Sole-Source Dollar Thresholds

• ANCs are exempt from the standard 8(a) competitive threshold limits.
• EAS may receive a sole-source (direct award) contracts up to $22 million without justification & approval (J&A) for less than full and open competition; no limit with a J&A [13 CFR 124.506(b)].

Exemption from Total Dollar Threshold

• ANCs are exempt from the total standard 8(a) threshold limit of competitive and direct awards.
• ANCs do not have a total dollar maximum [13 CFR 124.519(a)].

Full Protection from 8(a) Direct Award Contract Protests

• The code of federal regulations prevents challenges to sole-source contracts to ANC 8(a) firms by another 8(a) participant or any other party, either to the Small Business Administration or any other administrative forum as part of a bid or other contract protest [13 CFR 124.517(a)].

Streamlined Contracting Process

• Sole-source 8(a) program procurement reduces the time and expense for federal agencies to award a contract.