According to several press reports, in August the Small Business Administration sent out a mass email requesting SBA officials and business owners to submit an essay demonstrating that their success had been hindered by their race.

This decision was made following a federal judge’s questioning of a key provision of an SBA federal program that automatically qualified Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans as socially disadvantaged.

Earlier this year, Career Communications Group organized a seminar titled “Small Business: 2023 State of Black Government Contracting; Navigating Changes in Government Contracting.”

In 2022, the federal government surpassed its small business contracting goal by awarding 27.2 percent of federal contract dollars to small businesses.

The seminar featured several speakers, including Erica Dobbs, president/CEO of Dobbs Defense Solutions, Jimmy Smith, a senior executive service member of the federal government, and Hayes Fountain III, CEO of Wide Scope.

The speakers discussed the impact of this success on Black-owned businesses, the strategies that led to it, and how minority-owned businesses can participate.

They also shared tips for working with corporations, the necessary systems, and basic requirements. Additionally, they looked at emerging opportunities in rebuilding the infrastructure, sustainability projects, and technologies like ChatGPT, Dall E.2, the metaverse, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence.

As we move from a remote workforce to a fully mobile, hybrid approach for contractors, how can companies ensure that employees provide optimal support to government clients?

Learn about the Government Annual Scorecard for Small Businesses, Implications for FY2024 Capture Strategy; Mentor-Protege and other opportunities for small businesses to partner with larger organizations to win government contracts; HBCU University Affiliated Research Center implications and opportunities for small businesses to work with a college and win government contracts, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses; and how to increase the number of veterans pursuing entrepreneurship and support mechanisms at federal agencies to ensure an opportunity to compete.