WASHINGTON, DC 20416
Kevin Knight - President
KNIGHTO, LLC
33 W QUEENS WAY STE C
Hampton, VA 23669-4183
Dear Kevin Knight:
Welcome to the HUBZone Program!
I am pleased to advise you as that effective 06/24/2010 your application for certification as a "qualified HUBZone small business concern" (SBC) has been approved. Your firm is now eligible to receive HUBZone contracting opportunities, and will be included in the listing of qualified HUBZone small business concerns found on the Internet at http://dsbs.sba.gov/dsbs/search/dsp_searchhubzone.cfm. Congratulations!
Your responsibilities as a HUBZone certified concern
As a HUBZone certified concern, the benefits you may receive from the program come with the following important responsibilities:
- Keep your Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) records up-to-date: To apply for HUBZone Program certification, your firm had to be registered in the CCR and DSBS information systems. For your firm to receive benefit from the HUBZone Program (i.e., to be identified by contracting officers as eligible to receive HUBZone contracts and to be paid under any such contracts), it is essential that these records remain up-to-date. We strongly recommend that you validate your information at least annually. If you need assistance in updating your CCR or DSBS information, please contact the Federal Service Desk at (866) 606-8220 or (334) 206-7828.
- Inform HUBZone Program of any material changes to your
concern: If there are material changes to your concern you must
notify the HUBZone Program by sending an e-mail to HZMCN@sba.gov. Material changes include a
change in size, ownership, business structure, or principal office
location, in addition to falling below the 35% HUBZone residency
requirement when your firm is not performing on a HUBZone contract.
Failure to notify the HUBZone Program of material changes may result in
decertification from the program. If at any time you feel your concern
no longer qualifies for the HUBZone Program, you can complete the
"Voluntary Decertification Agreement" available at www.sba.gov/hubzone/hubzoneapplication.
Note the HUBZone Program mails notices regarding program examinations and re-certifications to your firm's most recent address of record. If you were to fail to respond to these notices because you have changed your address without updating your CCR or DSBS profiles and informing the HUBZone Program, SBA would propose your concern for decertification and subsequently decertify it from the Program. Therefore, it is critical that you notify us of any change in address and keep your CCR and DSBS profiles updated. - Remain in compliance at all times and stay updated on
Program changes: It is your responsibility to continually
ensure that your firm meets the requirements of the program. This
includes, for example, continuously meeting the 35% HUBZone residency
requirement, with the sole exception if you are making good faith
efforts to "attempt to maintain" (see 13 C.F.R. § 126.103) having 35% of
your employees reside in a HUBZone during the performance of a HUBZone
contract you have received. This also includes complying with contract
performance requirements in connection with any HUBZone contracts
awarded to your firm as a qualified HUBZone SBC (e.g., the
subcontracting limitations requirements set forth in 13 C.F.R. §
126.700, and/or the non-manufacturer rule set forth in 13 C.F.R. §
126.601(e)).
In addition, you should periodically visit our website (www.sba.gov/hubzone) to look for any important announcements concerning changes to the HUBZone Program. As an example, on May 3, 2010 an important change to the HUBZone regulations went into effect concerning the definition of an employee. The new definition, which can be found at our website, is meant to simplify the determination of whether a person working for a concern is counted as an employee of that concern for the purposes of determining eligibility for the HUBZone Program. The new definition may impact your eligibility for the program and ability to meet the principal office and 35% HUBZone residency requirement. (If you applied prior to May 3, 2010, the previous definition was likely used to determine your eligibility as we typically evaluate a firm's eligibility at the time of application submittal using regulations in effect at that time.) It is your responsibility to understand the new definition and to determine whether it impacts your concern's eligibility status. Contact the HUBZone Help Desk if you require assistance. If you find that your firm is not eligible for the program as a result of the definition change, you should inform the HUBZone Program of this material change to your concern or complete the "Voluntary Decertification Agreement" available at www.sba.gov/hubzone/hubzoneapplication. - Participate in SBA eligibility monitoring initiatives:
As a result of 2008 and 2009 Government Accountability Office (GAO)
audits, which discovered unacceptable levels of fraud and
misrepresentation within the HUBZone Program, we are significantly
increasing our eligibility monitoring efforts to ensure only eligible
SBCs receive the program's benefits. As such, you may be subject to any
or all of the following initiatives designed to verify the ongoing
eligibility of certified concerns:
- SBA requiring your concern certify in writing under penalty of
perjury that it continues to meet all the eligibility criteria of the
HUBZone Program, or voluntarily withdraw
- SBA requiring your concern to submit updated documentation similar
to the information and documents you provided to obtain initial
certification in order to verify that you remain eligible for the
program
- If you should receive a HUBZone contract, SBA requiring your concern
to demonstrate that it was eligible for the program both at the time of
its initial offer and award
- SBA making unannounced site visits to any or all of your concern's locations to verify the accuracy of any information provided to SBA
NOTE THAT ANY SBC FOUND TO MISREPRESENT ITSELF MAY BE SUBJECT TO A RANGE OF CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES AND/OR SUSPENSION OR DEBARMENT FROM FEDERAL CONTRACTING. - SBA requiring your concern certify in writing under penalty of
perjury that it continues to meet all the eligibility criteria of the
HUBZone Program, or voluntarily withdraw
Although your status as a certified HUBZone small business concern greatly improves your access to Federal contracts, this certification does not guarantee contract awards. Your ability to research contracting opportunities and competitively bid on them will be the key to your success in this program. I recommend you utilize the following web resources designed to help you maximize the Program's benefits:
- SBA's Government Contracting website (www.sba.gov/GC) provides valuable information on Federal contracting, including links to specific contracting opportunities and contact information for the SBA and key Federal acquisition agencies. (Please note that while your concern was approved under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code found in your firm's CCR and SBA Supplemental Page profiles, you may be awarded contracts under other NAICS Codes. You may benefit from researching and identifying potential HUBZone contracting opportunities outside your profile's NAICS code.)
- SBA's Services website (www.sba.gov/services) is a good starting point for accessing a wide range of resources relevant to HUBZone certified firms, including online courses on how to identify, win, and successfully execute Federal Government contracts.
- SBA's Surety Bond Program website (www.sba.gov/osg) provides information on how to apply for an SBA surety bond guarantee.
We wish you the best of luck with your HUBZone certified concern - your success will help improve the economic future of the HUBZone(s) in which you operate. If at any time you have any questions about the Program or how the SBA may be able to support your business objectives, please do not hesitate to call the HUBZone Help Desk at (202) 205-8885, or you may email us at HUBZone@sba.gov.
Sincerely,
