Don’t Let Tribal Businesses Be Left Behind in the Federal Procurement Overhaul   

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By Kevin J. Allis

March 24, 2025

Guest Opinion.  On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order that could significantly reshape how the federal government purchases common goods and services. While the stated goal is efficiency, streamlining procurement through the General Services Administration (GSA) and reducing waste, it could have serious unintended consequences for Tribal enterprises across the country, particularly those participating in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. 

For decades, the 8(a) program has been one of the most powerful tools available to help Tribal Nations build economic self-sufficiency. It provides Tribally owned businesses with access to federal contracting opportunities, including the ability to receive sole-source awards without competition under certain conditions. These businesses don’t just generate revenue, they create jobs, fund tribal services, and empower Native communities to take charge of their own futures. 

But this new executive order threatens to upend that progress.  

By centralizing the purchasing of common goods and services under GSA, agencies may lose the flexibility to  award direct contracts to Tribal 8(a) firms. These firms often work closely with specific agencies that  understand their value, their capabilities, and their connection to the communities they serve. Removing that  direct line of procurement, and forcing all competition through large, complex GSA vehicles, risks sidelining many of these Native-owned businesses. 

Worse still, GSA’s contracting mechanisms are often out of reach for smaller or newer Tribal firms. Getting  on a GSA schedule or participating in a government-wide acquisition contract (GWAC) requires a level of  past performance, infrastructure, and administrative complexity that many tribal enterprises, especially those  in rural or reservation areas, struggle to meet. If GSA becomes the main gateway to federal contracts, Tribal firms may find the door closed. 

This change also puts at risk one of the cornerstone benefits of the Tribal 8(a) program: the authority to  receive sole-source contracts. If federal buyers are pushed toward using only GSA-managed contract vehicles, they may overlook or abandon sole-source options entirely. That’s not just a policy shift, it’s a direct threat to the economic independence of Tribal Nations. 

Still, there’s an opportunity here, if we act now.  

GSA and the administration must be pushed to include Native voices in the implementation of this order.  That includes creating dedicated Tribal set-asides within GSA vehicles, preserving the unique sole-source  authority of Tribal 8(a) firms, and establishing accessible pathways for these businesses to participate in centralized procurement. That could mean streamlined onboarding processes, capacity-building support, and partnerships with institutions like 1862 land-grant universities or national tribal organizations. 

If done right, this procurement overhaul doesn’t have to shut Tribal enterprises out. It could actually bring more visibility and opportunity, if equity and inclusion are part of the design from the beginning. But time is  short. As federal agencies shift their procurement strategies, Tribal Nations and their economic development arms must speak up. Congress, SBA, GSA, and the White House need to hear the same message: don’t leave Indian Country behind in the name of efficiency. 

Tribal businesses have always been ready to compete. All we ask is for a fair and equitable shot to do so in the new system.

Kevin Allis (Forest County Potawatomi Community) is the founder and President of Thunderbird Strategic, LLC, a Washington, DC-based Government Relations and Communications firm that specializes in advocacy and campaigns for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations and community based organizations. He previsously served as CEO of the National Congress of American Indians and the Executive Director at the Native American Contractors Association.

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