Don’t Scrap What Works: Why SBA’s Targeted Small Business Programs Still Matter

Eliminating SBA programs like 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, and HUBZone may appear to streamline federal acquisition, but it would do far more harm than good by dismantling proven pathways that empower disadvantaged small businesses, strengthen underserved communities, and diversify the federal industrial base. These programs aren’t the source of procurement inefficiencies—they’re vital tools that enable speed, flexibility, and equity in contracting. Rather than scrap them, we should modernize their administration, unify certification systems, and strengthen oversight. True acquisition reform means fixing structural inefficiencies, not abandoning the programs that work.