Program is shrinking as compliance rules reshape who can access federal contracts, raising questions about opportunity and ...

Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the suspension of 1,091 firms from the 8(a) Business Development Program -- representing about 25% of all firms registered to participate ...

The suspended firms collectively have received more than $5 billion in contracted work over the last four years, according to ...

In July 2025, the agency rescinded the independent 8 (a) contracting authority of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after a DOJ investigation uncovered a $550 million bribery ...

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is reviewing the SBA 8(a) program to curb fraud in defense contracting.

There is question if the administration will simply remove contracts from the program, or potentially move to end the program ...

Secretary of War Hegseth announced that his department is "taking a sledgehammer to the oldest DEI program in the federal government—the 8(a) program." (Source: X @SecWar) On January 16, 2026, ...

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has recently increased its oversight and enforcement of its 8(a) Business Development Program, 1 including a program-wide audit requiring participating firms to ...

The Small Business Administration suspended more than 1,000 companies in the 8(a) program. SBA made the decision after it deemed those small businesses non-compliant with its financial data request ...

Experts say claims of widespread fraud of the 8(a) program are unfounded and the ongoing audits run counter to the goal of expanding the industrial base.

"The only companies getting $20M sole source awards.. are Alaska Native corporations, Native Hawaiian organizations, tribally-owned organizations," Murphy said.