The U.S. Small Business Administration recently made updates to the HUBZone footprint which has frozen maps until at least June 30, 2023 and has expanded the map to include more rural areas. After these updates to the map we now know that all of Cattaraugus County is considered a HUBZone. This makes for a great opportunity for our businesses to gain additional access into set-aside programs in federal government contracting they may otherwise not have been able to qualify for based on previous requirements.
To qualify for the HUBZone program, your business must:
- Be a small business according to SBA size standards: www.sba.gov/size-standards
- Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an Indian tribe
- Have its principal office located in a HUBZone: https://maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map
- Have at least 35% of its employees living in a HUBZone: https://maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map
You can find the full qualification criteria in Title 13 Part 126 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). You can also get a preliminary assessment of whether you qualify at the SBA's Certify website: https://certify.sba.gov/am-i-eligible
Program Benefits:
The government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses in historically underutilized business zones. It also gives preferential consideration to those businesses in full and open competition.
Joining the HUBZone program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts. HUBZone-certified businesses also get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions.
HUBZone-certified businesses can still compete for contract awards under other socio-economic programs they qualify for.