RECOMPETE

Reference

Federal set-aside programmes

Set-aside work is reserved by law for a category of business, which is what makes it winnable for a firm that could never outbid an entrenched prime on open competition. Here is what each programme requires, and how much expiring work currently sits behind it.

This is not an eligibility check. Whether you qualify turns on SBA size standards that differ by NAICS code, on ownership and control tests, and usually on a certification held before award. Nobody can settle that from a web page, and a page that pretended to could cost you a bid cycle chasing work you were never eligible for. Use this to know what to ask, then confirm with SBA.

Small Business Set-Aside

506 expiring · $19.5B →

Any business that meets the SBA size standard for the specific NAICS code being bought.

What it requires

  • Meet the SBA size standard for that NAICS code — the threshold differs by industry and is set in either employee count or average annual receipts.
  • Be organised for profit, have a place of business in the United States, and operate primarily within it.
  • Be independently owned and operated, and not dominant in your field.
  • Registered and active in SAM.gov before an award can be made.

Certification: No separate certification. You self-certify in SAM.gov, which means the size standard is your responsibility to get right — and misrepresenting it carries real penalties.

SBA size standards →

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

548 expiring · $7.9B →

Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans.

What it requires

  • At least 51% owned by one or more veterans with a service-connected disability.
  • A service-disabled veteran must control day-to-day operations and long-term decisions.
  • Meet the SBA size standard for the NAICS code being bought.
  • For most SDVOSB set-asides, hold a current SBA certification — self-certification is no longer sufficient.

Certification: Certified through SBA's Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert). This replaced the older VA CVE process.

SBA VetCert →

8(a) Business Development

555 expiring · $6.7B →

Small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, admitted to a nine-year development programme.

What it requires

  • At least 51% owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are US citizens.
  • Personal net worth, adjusted gross income and total assets below the programme thresholds.
  • Demonstrate potential for success — usually meaning at least two years of operating history, though waivers exist.
  • Meet the SBA size standard for the NAICS code being bought.

Certification: Formal SBA application and admission. Participation runs a maximum of nine years and cannot be renewed.

SBA 8(a) programme →

Women-Owned Small Business

396 expiring · $1.3B →

Small businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women, bidding in industries where WOSBs are underrepresented.

What it requires

  • At least 51% unconditionally and directly owned by one or more women who are US citizens.
  • Women must manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions.
  • Meet the SBA size standard for the NAICS code being bought.
  • The set-aside is only available in NAICS codes SBA has designated as underrepresented, which is a shorter list than people expect.

Certification: Certified through SBA or an approved third-party certifier. The economically disadvantaged variant (EDWOSB) adds personal financial thresholds.

SBA WOSB programme →

HUBZone

218 expiring · $757M →

Small businesses based in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone that employ people who live in one.

What it requires

  • Principal office located in a designated HUBZone — check the specific address, since designations change and the map is redrawn.
  • At least 35% of employees must reside in a HUBZone.
  • At least 51% owned and controlled by US citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, or an Indian tribe.
  • Meet the SBA size standard for the NAICS code being bought.

Certification: SBA certification, with ongoing obligations — the 35% employee residency test must keep being met, not just met once.

SBA HUBZone programme →

Once you know which programme applies to you, the set-aside boards show what is reaching the end of its period of performance under each one, and the timeline tool works backwards from a specific end date.