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Top industries for 8(a) contracts

For 8(a) Business Development set-asides in federal contracting, there really is one industry supersector that rules them all: Professional and Business Services.

That supersector accounted for 80% of all current 8(a) set-aside federal contracts, according to exclusive research by Set-Aside Alert.

Professional and business services totaled $5.9 billion of the $7.4 billion in current 8(a) set-asides analyzed by Set-Aside Alert.

Set-Aside Alert compiled the database of $7.4 billion in current 8(a) set-asides expiring in calendar 2016 and beyond. When they expire, they are highly likely to present opportunities for more 8(a) firms because 8(a) set-asides, once created, generally must remain as 8(a) set-asides when recompeted, under federal rules.

Within the supersector, 55% of the value of the current 8(a) set-asides was for Information Technology Services (NAICS codes 5415), which totaled $3.2 billion.

Apart from IT services, the remaining portion of Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (NAICS codes starting with 54), totaled $1.8 billion.

The next largest category within the supersector was Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (NAICS 56), with $884 million in current 8(a) set-asides.

Fourth largest was Construction (NAICS 23), with $864 million.

Additional sector values of the 8(a) set-aside awards were:

• Information, $188 million;
• Manufacturing, $148 million;
• Education/Health/Welfare, $124 million;
• Trade/Transportation, $71 million;
• Financial, $42 million;
• Other Services, $30 million;
• Leisure/Hospitality, $22 million;
• Natural Resources/Mining, $1 million.

The top individual NAICS Codes for the 8(a) set-asides were:

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