The U.S. Small Business Administration announced a revamped version of its 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance program on January 25, 2024, renaming it Empower to Grow. The agency said the redesign aims to help small disadvantaged businesses become more prepared to compete for government contracts. [story-s1]
The announced changes combine individualized coaching with structured training: the enhanced Federal Market Acceleration Program would run for three months, and a new contractor master class would cover tools for responding to Sources Sought notices and Requests for Information. The SBA also described networking and matchmaking with agencies and prime contractors, plus bidding technology for 8(a) firms to review state and local opportunities. [story-s1]
The release reported that participants submitted 3,700 federal bids in fiscal 2023, of which 2,200 received awards, a 60% win rate. It said more than 6,000 businesses participated; the reported 45% average revenue-growth figure came from firms self-reporting their percentage growth after receiving training, not from an independently audited outcome measure. The package therefore paired practical procurement assistance with reach and performance figures, while the agency framed contracting disparities as unresolved. [story-s1]
Source documents
- SBA Announces Empower to Grow, a Revitalization of the 7(j) Training Program to Enhance Small Disadvantaged Business Contract Readinesshttps://www.sba.gov/article/2024/01/25/sba-announces-empower-grow-revitalization-7j-training-program-enhance-small-disadvantaged-business