8(a) Business Development Program
8(a) certified? Federal contracts are waiting.
The federal government awards over $26 billion in 8(a) set-aside contracts every year. The hard part isn’t being eligible — it’s finding the right opportunities before the deadline passes. ContractRadar does that searching for you.
Start finding 8(a) contracts — $30/monthWhat is the SBA 8(a) program?
The SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program is a nine-year program for small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Once accepted into the program, your business gains access to federal contracts specifically set aside for 8(a) participants — contracts that non-8(a) businesses can’t bid on at all.
Two types of 8(a) contracts exist. Sole-source contracts are awarded directly to a single 8(a) firm without a competitive bid — typically for contracts under $4.5 million (or $7.5 million for manufacturing). Competitive 8(a) contracts go out for bid but are restricted to qualified 8(a) participants only, which dramatically reduces competition compared to a full and open solicitation.
The federal government’s goal is to award at least 5 percent of all prime contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses — which includes all 8(a) participants. In recent years, 8(a) contract awards have exceeded $26 billion annually, according to SBA procurement scorecards.
The problem with finding 8(a) contracts on SAM.gov
SAM.gov lists thousands of new contract opportunities every week. Some are 8(a) set-asides. Most aren’t. Filtering by set-aside type on SAM.gov is only the start — you still need to check NAICS codes, place of performance, agency, and dollar range to know if an opportunity is worth pursuing. Doing that manually, every day, is a full-time job most small businesses don’t have the bandwidth for.
That’s the problem ContractRadar solves. You tell us once what your business does and where you work. We check every new SAM.gov posting against your profile and send you an email when an 8(a) contract matches. You spend your time on bids, not on searching.
How ContractRadar works for 8(a) firms
ContractRadar is a simple SAM.gov monitoring tool that helps 8(a) certified businesses find federal contract opportunities. Set up your profile in minutes, and get matching 8(a) contracts emailed to you daily. No training required — no complex dashboards to learn, no manual searching.
Tell us your 8(a) status
When you set up your profile, select 8(a) as your business certification. Also add your NAICS codes — the industry codes that describe what your business does — and the states where you operate.
We watch SAM.gov every day
ContractRadar downloads new SAM.gov postings daily and filters for 8(a) set-aside contracts that match your NAICS codes and service area. You don't need a SAM.gov account to use ContractRadar.
You get an email when something matches
When an 8(a) contract fits your profile, you get an email with the contract title, agency, deadline, and a link to the full SAM.gov posting. Every match is also saved to your account so nothing slips through.
Simple to set up. Flat $30/month.
ContractRadar is a simple tool that monitors SAM.gov daily and emails 8(a) certified businesses when matching set-aside contracts are posted. No training required — set up your profile in minutes. There are no per-user fees, no tiered plans, and no long-term contracts. Cancel any time from your profile page in two clicks.
If you just received your 8(a) certification, the next step is finding contracts to bid on. ContractRadar makes that step simple. Your nine-year window is limited — spend it pursuing opportunities, not hunting for them.
ContractRadar for other small business certifications
New to federal contracting? Read our guide to SAM.gov contract monitoring for small businesses or visit the FAQ.