Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) Owned 8(a)

Firms owned by a qualifying Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) and certified by the Small Business Administration as an 8(a) small business receive special status in Department of Defense contracting. This program was created with the intention of assisting indigenous people who suffered during the expansion of the United States in its early history.

In order to establish a NHO owned 8(a) company, Native Hawaiians must create a non-profit holding company certified by the Small Business Administration as a qualifying NHO whose primary mission is to benefit Native Hawaiians.

Program Benefits

NHO owned 8(a) firms are exempt from competitive threshold limitations in accordance with existing law and 13 CFR 124.506(b).  NHO owned 8(a) contractors may receive sole-source awards above the $3.5 million for service contracts and $5.5 million for manufacturing contracts.

The ability of NHO-owned 8(a)s to receive sole source contracts from DoD entities was made permanent as of December 30, 2005. “On December 30, 2005, President Bush signed the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act of 2006 into law that included a provision authorizing permanent sole source authority for NHO owned 8(a) firms on DoD contracts …” (Ann Murata, District Counsel, Hawaii District Office, US Small Business Administration). The law referred to is Public Law 109-148 (HR 2863), Sec. 8020

Contracting Solutions

Program managers and contracts officers can use sole-source awards to NHO-owned 8(a)s to avoid a protracted contracting process.

Program managers and contracts officers working with NHOs are able to shorten the procurement cycle significantly, virtually eliminate protests, assemble the desired contract team with the right experience and skills, obligate funds earlier and start work more quickly.

Principals

Management

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Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO)