Here are the results of Set-Aside Alert’s exclusive survey of 353 HUBZone companies, as of April 14. The survey was offered online in April 2014.

      Most vendors in the survey are not newcomers to HUBZones: 65% have been HUBZone firms for three year or longer; 22%, 1-2 years; and 13%, less than a year.

      Asked the value of all their HUBZone contracts, 69% said zero; 10% said $1 to $100,000; 9% said $100,000 to $1 million; 7% said $1 million to $5 million; and 5% said $5 million or more.

      Asked the best part of being a HUBZone, 51% said access to federal set-asides; 35% said connections to primes; 17% said support from state and local agencies; and 12% said support from SBA.

      Also, 26% said the best part is “other,” which included many negative statements such as “none” or “nothing yet.” A few mentioned the prestige of attaining certification and the rewards of helping people in need.

      As for frustrations, 66% named lack of federal set-asides to bid on; 45% said difficulties in finding federal opportunities; 24% said shortcomings in SBA support; 23% said complicated regulations; 23% said short (3-year) certification; and 17% said meeting the employee residence-in-zone threshold.

      Also: 56% are not optimistic, while 38% are optimistic, about the future of HUBZones. And 75% said they plan to renew.