The Department of War’s Office of Industrial Base Growth has issued a ‎data call inviting small businesses and nontraditional suppliers to share how their work ‎supports mission success and national security. ANC and tribally owned 8(a) firms should ‎consider responding by the March 31, 2026 deadline. At a time when the 8(a) program is ‎under political scrutiny, this data call presents a direct channel to ‎demonstrate to DoW decision-makers the indispensable role that entity-owned firms and ‎the 8(a) program play in strengthening the defense industrial base and supporting the ‎warfighter, while also highlighting the benefits these programs deliver to Native ‎communities.‎

Overview

On February 27, 2026, the Department of War’s Office of Industrial Base Growth (formerly ‎the Office of Small Business Programs) issued an open invitation to small businesses, new ‎entrants, and nontraditional defense suppliers to participate in the “DoW Industry Insights ‎Series: Seeking Small Business and Nontraditional Supplier Stories.” The data call seeks ‎examples of how small and emerging businesses support Department and ‎national security priorities.‎

Responses are submitted through a Microsoft Forms questionnaire hosted on a .mil ‎domain. The form collects basic company information, program participation history ‎‎(including 8(a), HUBZone, Mentor-Protégé, and others), alignment with DoW Critical ‎Technology Areas and Industrial Focus Areas, descriptions of how the company’s products ‎or services support mission success, and the specific military branches and combatant ‎commands supported.‎

The stated purpose is to “ensure decision-makers understand the role small and emerging ‎businesses play in mission success.” The deadline is March 31, 2026. The form is ‎accessible at: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/Z07nrmRsEX

Why This Matters Now

The timing of this data call is significant. The 8(a) Business Development program is under  intense scrutiny. The SBA has suspended and proposed ‎termination of over 150 firms, centralized annual review authority at headquarters, and the ‎program has been politically characterized in some quarters as a proxy for “DEI” spending. ‎Congressional oversight activity has intensified, and the administration’s stated posture is ‎one of reform through enforcement.‎

Against this backdrop, the DoW’s data call represents a countervailing signal from within ‎the defense establishment: the Department apparently recognizes the mission-critical contributions of ‎small businesses, including 8(a) participants, and is seeking to document those contributions. This is an opportunity to build ‎the evidentiary record that demonstrates the operational value of the programs that are ‎currently under political attack.‎

For entity-owned 8(a) firms, this is an ‎important opportunity. The narrative that entity-owned 8(a) subsidiaries are vehicles for ‎pass-through contracting or program abuse can be effectively countered with concrete, ‎documented examples of mission support, warfighter impact, industrial base contributions, ‎and community benefits. The DoW is asking for this kind of evidence.‎

The form’s open-ended questions provide an ideal platform to ‎articulate the dual value proposition that entity-owned 8(a) firms bring:‎

Mission Support and Warfighter Impact: Questions 16 and 17 of the form ask respondents to describe how their company’s products ‎or services support the Department’s mission and what impact or benefit their work ‎provides to the warfighter.  Entity-owned subsidiaries ‎performing on DoW contracts can provide specific, concrete narratives, not ‎generalities, about:‎

• Critical capabilities delivered (e.g., base operations in remote or austere ‎environments, logistics support, IT modernization, environmental remediation, ‎construction in strategic locations)‎
• Responsiveness and reliability in supporting operational readiness
• Capacity built over time through 8(a) program participation that now serves as a ‎standing capability for the Department
• Workforce expertise developed in specialized or hard-to-recruit skill areas

Community and Economic Impact: Questions 22 and 23 provide an open-ended opportunity to share additional context. This is ‎where entity-owned firms can tell the broader story of how 8(a) program participation ‎and defense contracting revenue flows back to support Native communities. Responses ‎might highlight:‎

• Shareholder and tribal member dividends and employment in communities with limited economic ‎alternatives
• Funding for education, elder care, cultural preservation, and other community ‎programs supported by government contracting revenues
• Job creation and workforce development in rural Alaska and other underserved ‎areas
• The unique role Native Corporations and Tribes play as stewards of both shareholder welfare and the land, ‎and how that stewardship aligns with DoW environmental and sustainability goals
• The connection between the 8(a) program’s congressional purpose under ANCSA ‎and the self-determination and economic self-sufficiency it enables for Native ‎communities

The “What Could DoD Do Better?” Question: Question 22 asks what the Department could do better to make doing business easier. This ‎is an invitation to provide feedback to DoW leadership. Entity-owned firms may ‎wish to note challenges such as:‎

• The chilling effect of current SBA enforcement actions on procurement officials’ ‎willingness to utilize 8(a) sole source authority
• Delays in contract awards and modifications attributable to uncertainty in 8(a) ‎program administration
• The need for consistent, predictable program rules that allow small businesses to ‎invest in long-term capability development
• Opportunities for DoD to more effectively leverage the small business industrial base ‎in critical technology areas and contested logistics

Entity-owned firms should consider the following when responding:

1. Coordinate at the parent corporation level. If your Native Corporation, Tribe, or NHO has multiple 8(a) ‎subsidiaries performing on DoW contracts, consider submitting responses for each ‎subsidiary while ensuring the collective narrative is consistent and reinforcing.‎
2. Be specific and concrete. Avoid boilerplate. Decision-makers are more persuaded ‎by “Our team maintained 99.7% uptime on [specific system] at [specific installation] ‎supporting [specific mission]” than by general descriptions of capability.‎
3. Tell the community story. Use the open-ended fields to connect the dots between ‎defense contract revenue, corporate success, and community benefit. This is the ‎narrative that distinguishes entity-owned 8(a) firms from all other small business ‎categories and is the most effective counter to the political attacks on the program.‎
4. Share through industry channels. Consider forwarding this data call to others to encourage broad participation. The more entity-owned 8(a) ‎success stories that reach DoD leadership, the stronger the collective case for the ‎program’s continued value.‎
5. Observe the CUI restriction. The form expressly prohibits Controlled ‎Unclassified Information, proprietary data, and export-controlled information. Keep ‎responses at the unclassified level and avoid disclosing specific contract values, ‎technical specifications, or other sensitive data.‎

The current political environment makes it tempting for 8(a) participants to keep a low ‎profile. But this data call is an opportunity where visibility serves the ‎program’s long-term interests. The DoW needs a strong, capable, small business industrial ‎base, and the Department is asking to hear from the companies that provide it. Entity-owned firms have a compelling story to tell—about mission support, about industrial ‎base resilience, and about the communities whose self-sufficiency depends on program ‎access.

This article summarizes aspects of the law and opinions that are solely those of the authors. This article does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice regarding your situation, you should contact an attorney.