National HUBZone Conference 2016 October 2016

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1 The HUBZone Program is designed to promote economic development and employment growth in distressed areas by providing access to more federal contracting opportunities. hubzonecouncil.org 1

2 Federal Contracting Set-asides Sole Source Capability 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions Subcontracting opportunities No limit on length of time a firm may qualify as a HUBZone SBC Small Business Mentor Protégé Program COMPEITIVE ADVANTAGE Certified SBC s per DSBS HUBZone 5,688 8a 6,919 Women Owned 68,679 SDVOSB 17,698 Obligated Dollars 3% Prime Goal Achieved % 3% Sub Goal Achieved % 352,291,573,414 10,568,747,202 6,341,248, ,568,747,202 4,227,498, Eligibility Requirements HUBZone Certification Requirements: ( ) The firm must be a small business per SBA size standards. The firm must be at least 51% directly owned and controlled by citizens of the United States, Indian tribal Governments, Community Development Corporation (CDC s), Alaskan Native Corporations (ANC s), Native Hawaiian Organizations. The firm's principal office must be located in a designated HUBZone area (where the greatest number of employees perform their work, excluding contract sites). At least 35% of the firm's employees must reside in a designated HUBZone area. Webinar-Do I qualify hubzonecouncil.org 2

3 Before you Apply Get registered (D&B, SAM, DSBS and GLS) Review all requirements and guidance on the SBA s HUBZone website (sba.gov/hubzone) Conduct your own review to ensure eligibility before applying. Application Process Once you have completed the HUBZone application you will then need to authorize the application for processing. Following the online submission of your HUBZone application applications you will be directed to the document request checklist The firm will have 10 days following the submission of the HUBZone application to upload the supporting documentation. hubzonecouncil.org 3

4 Uploading Documents The applicant will need to go to the HUBZone website and click on the applicable document request Directions are supplied within the document request as to how to title each document and the process to upload the information to the cloud. All documents must be accounted for; in the event a document is not applicable to your company this must be identified in writing. Documents will need to be uploaded via the cloud based system within 10 days following the electronic verification date. Certification Periods No limit to length of time a firm is qualified as a HUBZone small business concern. Remain certified as long as it continue to maintain compliance, follows the HUBZone regulations, notifies SBA of material changes and properly recertifies. HUBZone certification ends in one of two ways: 1. Firm voluntarily decertifies 2. SBA decertifies the firm Can seek certification after ninety (90) calendar days from the date of decertification if it believes issues are resolved and currently eligible o limit to the length of time a firm is qualified as a HUBZone small business concern as long as it o maintain compliance, follows the HUBZone regulations, notifies SBA of any material changes, and properly recertifies. hubzonecouncil.org 4

5 Recertification Process Firms must recertify every 3 years SBA will send you an notification 30 calendar days prior to the firm s 3 rd anniversary date. notification is sent to the displayed in the firm s DSBS profile. Be sure to check SPAM folders. SBC s receive an electronic recertification notification requesting applicants to verify continued compliance. Failure to comply with the notification within the allotted time frame will lead to a proposed decertification notification. The SBA has the right to require applicants to undergo a full documentation review in connection to their recertification. However many recertification s merely entail a notarized signature sheet validating continued compliance. Attempt to Maintain as long as it o maintain compliance, follows the HUBZone regulations, notifies SBA of any material changes, and properly recertifies. What if I fall below the 35% HUBZone residency requirement? If your company is performing on a HUBZone set side PRIME contract HUBZone SBC s may remain certified under attempt to maintain. SBC s are not eligible to bid any further HUBZone contracts while under the attempt to maintain status. ( )Firm is required to attempt to maintain eligibility during the performance of a HUBZone contract, however, to propose on another HUBZone contract you must certify that you do qualify for the Program and that no material changes have taken place that impact your eligibility ( )Regulations require you to be in total compliance at time of proposal and at time of award for any HUBZone contract hubzonecouncil.org 5

6 Material Changes If your business is HUBZone-certified and there are no changes during your certification, you have no reporting obligations to SBA. However, you must report all material changes to SBA because they may affect your eligibility in the HUBZone Program. How to Notify HUBZone of a Material Change: HZMCN@sba.gov Change in the ownership What is considered a "material change? Change in business structure Change in principal office Failure to meet the 35% employee HUBZone residency requirement Program Examinations SBA may conduct a program examination on any HUBZone certified business at any time while the firm is certified. A program examination is an investigation to determine whether the firm is currently meeting all of the eligibility requirements or met them at the time of certification, recertification, bid or award for a HUBZone contract. The program exam may include document review and/or a site visit. hubzonecouncil.org 6

7 Site Visits SBA may perform an announced or unannounced site visit on HUBZone certified firms as well as firms seeking HUBZone certification at any time. SBA may decide to propose decertification on the basis of a failed site visit i.e., when SBA cannot validate that the firm is operating from the HUBZone principal office or meets the 35% HUBZone residency requirements. HUBZone Status Protests Be prepared for status protests Maintain protest files to support eligibility at time of proposal submission and award hubzonecouncil.org 7

8 How are HUBZones Designated? Basis: SBA uses information obtained from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Defense Formula calculations are based on statute SBA does not have discretion on what areas are HUBZones and which are not. Qualified HUBZones comprise: A qualified Census Tract (QCT) A qualified Nonmetropolitan County (QNMC) A qualified Indian Reservation (QIR) A qualified Base Closure Area (QBA) A Re-Designated Area To determine HUBZone eligibility go to: Mapping Updates HUBZone Type Qualified Census Tract Qualified Nonmetropolitan County A Qualified Nonmetropolitan County B Qualified Nonmetropolitan County C Qualified Indian Land Qualified Base Closure Area Qualified Disaster Area Subtype Data Update Frequency Per HUD update Qualified by unemployment Annually Source Data Agency Department of Housing and Urban Development Bureau of Labor Statistics Qualified by income Annually Census Bureau Qualified Difficult Development Area (DDA) Annually As necessary As necessary As necessary Department of Housing and Urban Development Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of Defense hubzonecouncil.org 8

9 What s New Native Hawaiian Organizations now qualify as HUBZone s HUBZone area expanding through the elimination of the 20% QCT Cap Small Business Mentor Protégé Program Definitions Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) means any community service organization serving Native Hawaiians in the State of Hawaii which is a not-for-profit organziation chartered by the State of Hawaii, is controlled by Native Hawaiians, and whose business activities will principally benefit such Native Hawaiians. hubzonecouncil.org 9