STL SBA & STL SBDC 8(a) Certified Initiative Beginnin g April 5, 2023 The U.S. Small Business Administration’s St. Louis District Office and Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC) - Saint Louis Region announce the launch of the “8 (a)” Certification Boot Camp. The boot camp will begin April 2023 and is a local training initiative focused on assisting 25 small, disadvantaged St. Louis District businesses to become 8(a) certified. The 8a boot camp is comprised of four intensive weekly work shops to help small business owners navigate the 8(a) application process successfully. The 8(a) Certification Bootcamp will kick off Wednesday, April 5, at 10:00 am. The training will be held at the TREX Innovation Center, 911 Washington, 5th Floor, St. Louis, MO, 63101 The boot camp will consist of the following 90 - minute training sessions: • April 5: An Overview of the 8(a) Program, Eligibility Requirements, and the Benefits of 8(a) Certification • April 12: Introduction to the 8(a) Application o Certifysba.gov o SAM and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) o NAICS Code o Checklist o Supporting Documentation Required • April 19: Financial Documentation and Back Office Requirements • April 26: Business Planning and Operational Management • May 3: One on One Assistance with Application Completion (Optional) The training is offered free of charge. An application intake form is required for acceptance due to the limited spaces available. All training sessions are facilitated by SBA & SBDC 8(a) experts. Training sessions will include guest speakers such as APEX Accelerator Counselors, banking loan officers, accounting professionals and local business owners who have successfully used the 8a certification to grow their businesses. Why 8(a)? To hel p provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities. Benefits of Businesses in the 8(a) program: • Compete for set - aside and sole - source contracts in the program • Be assigned a Business Opportunity Specialist to help navigate federal contracting • Form joint ventures with established businesses through the SBA's Mentor - Protégé Program • Receive management and technical assistance, including business training, counseling, marketing assistance and high - level executive development To find out more or register contact Gary Alexander at Gary.Alexander@sba.gov or 314 - 539 - 6612. Gary Alexander serves as a Business Opportunity Specialist at the Small Business Administration (SBA) St. Louis District Office. He advocates on behalf of the small businesses in his 8(a) Business Development program portfolio. He helps facilitate federal contr acting opportunities, counseling, and mentoring for 8(a) program participants.