Contractor Information

HUBZONE Program Implementation

Content Updated - 29 October 2002

To All Concerned Contractors

The Federal Government will be limiting competition on some of its contracts to those contractors that are certified under the new HUBZONE Program. Those contractors interested in continuing business with the Federal Government, including the Forest Service, would benefit from determining their status as a HUBZONE contractor.

The Western Washington Acquisition Area, along with other Region 6 Contracting Offices, has implemented the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997 - specifically the HUBZONE Empowerment Program. The program has been enacted into law to promote economic development and employment growth in distressed areas by providing Federal Contracting opportunities to firms which are HUBZONE certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

To qualify, a firm must be a small business, owned and controlled by US citizens, whose principal office must be in the HUBZONE, and at least 35% of the employees of which must reside in the HUBZONE. SBA administers the program and determines the eligibility of contractors in these zones.
This requirement does not eliminate the SBA goals for conducting business with small, small disadvantaged, and woman owned businesses.

In order to bid on contracts which are set-aside for HUBZONE, contractors must be HUBZONE certified by SBA. This can be accomplished by contacting SBA directly at the web site listed below. The site will also provide you with information on how to apply and maps of HUBZONE areas. Please use this web site as your source of information for your questions.

http://www.sba.gov/hubzone/

We strongly urge contractors to take the initiative to complete this requirement for certification as soon as possible. Once the program is in place this agency cannot accept offers on HUBZONE projects from contractors who are not certified.