House to assess impact of set-asides on Alaskan firms

Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), chairman of the House Small Business Committee, and Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, have scheduled a joint hearing for June 21 to examine whether Alaskan Native Corporations (ANCs) have an advantage over 8(a) small businesses in contracting with the federal government.

Since 1986, ANCs have been permitted to participate in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, established to help disadvantaged socioeconomic groups establish and grow small businesses through federal government contracting.

The committees will examine whether the additional procurement advantages ANCs receive that are not given to other certified 8(a) small businesses actually benefit Alaska Native people, how such advantages affect the rest of the federal government’s competitive acquisition system and whether SBA is properly managing the ANC program.

The people scheduled to testify include Rep. Don Young (R-Ark.), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; Calvin Jenkins, deputy associate deputy administrator of SBA’s Office of Government Contracting and Business Development; Harry Alford, president and chief executive officer of the National Black Chamber of Commerce; Chris McNeil Jr., chairman of the Native American Contractors Association and president and CEO of Sealaska; and Julie Kitka, president of Alaska Federation of Natives.

The hearing will take place at 1 p.m. in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building.