Each year, the Native American Contractors Association (NACA) brings together Tribal enterprises, policymakers, and federal leaders in Washington, D.C. for its annual Government Contracting & Policy Conference. Over three days, attendees gather to discuss and advocate for policies related to federal government contracting with the goal of protecting and expanding business opportunities for Native and Tribally-owned businesses within the federal marketplace.
Attending as a new NACA member, Bodwé Professional Services Group (Bodwé) was represented at this year’s conference by Norman Wixon, Vice President of Federal Support Services, who was invited to speak on a panel addressing the unique challenges and emerging opportunities facing Tribally-owned 8(a) enterprises. Norman joined Derek Sakaguchi, Chairman of the Native Hawaiian Community Development Corporation, and Polly Watson, Vice President of Operations at Bristol Bay Native Corporation, with Quinton Carroll, Executive Director for NACA, serving as the moderator on the panel.
“There’s a storm of challenges facing the 8(a) program,” Wixon told attendees. “With fewer federal contracting staff, including Business Opportunity Specialists, communication gaps are widening just when clarity is most critical.”
Established under the Small Business Act of 1978, the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program equips economically disadvantaged companies with mentorship, training, and — most importantly — access to set-aside and sole-source contracts. Those tools have delivered consistent value: high-quality goods and services for federal agencies at competitive prices, all on faster acquisition timelines. For Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs), and Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs), the program also fuels job creation, community reinvestment, and long-term economic self-sufficiency.
Norman and other NACA members at the conference met with more than 35 congresspeople, senators, or their staff on Capitol Hill to speak to the benefits the 8(a) program provides, not only to the federal government, Tribal enterprises, NHOs, and ANCs participating in federal contracting, but also the communities these organizations operate within and ultimately support.
“Over the last 35 years, the 8(a) program has generally been effective at consistently providing high quality goods and services to the government, both at a price that is highly competitive and in a much shorter acquisition cycle,” said Wixon. “From a people-perspective, the program allows economically disadvantaged groups such as Federally Recognized Tribes, ANCs and NHOs to build businesses that can support their people and reinvest in their communities long after their 8(a) tenure is up. It’s a win-win.”
Conversations with Michigan leaders including Representative Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Representative Hillary Scholten (MI-03), and Senator Elissa Slotkin provided an opportunity to share more about the impacts at the state level that Tribally Owned firms such as Bodwé have been able to make as part of the 8(a) program. Wixon emphasized how contract dollars awarded to 8(a) enterprises flow directly into wages, vendor orders, and community investments in places like West Michigan and across the nation.
Unlike private companies, Tribal enterprises often channel their earnings into vital community programs such as housing, education, and infrastructure improvements that serve both Tribal citizens and neighboring communities. Through their economic development authority Mno-Bmadsen, which includes the Bodwé family of companies and other enterprises, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi has been able to contribute more than 2,200 jobs and nearly $387 million dollars in contracting with more than 3,300 vendors in Indiana and Michigan since 2010.
Without sustained funding and policy support, the longstanding success of the 8(a) program could be at risk. This would pose a significant national security risk to federal agencies, both civilian and defense, that rely on the flexibility and agility of the 8(a) program to provide goods and services to mission-critical projects. As Congress and federal agencies consider changes to the 8(a) landscape, we hope the discussions at NACA’s 2025 Government Contracting & Policy Conference will encourage lawmakers to preserve and fund the program through the appropriations process.
“It was a privilege for Bodwé to represent Tribal interests not only in the state of Michigan but nationally as well,” said Wixon. “It’s exciting to be part of a delegation that advocates for the 8(a) program, which has proved immensely successful in supporting small businesses.”
NACA’s 2025 conference made clear that sustained advocacy will be essential to preserve a program that delivers measurable returns for federal agencies, Tribal economies, and American taxpayers alike. Bodwé is committed to that effort, working alongside NACA and our partners to protect and strengthen the 8(a) pathway for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
“Our hope is that by having these ongoing conversations, policymakers understand the 8(a) program’s value and long-term impact, and the program will continue to serve and benefit communities around the country.”
