(a) Concerns owned by economically disadvantaged Native Hawaiian Organizations, as defined in Sec. 124.3, are eligible for participation in the 8(a) program and other federal programs requiring SBA to determine social and economic disadvantage as a condition of eligibility. Such concerns must meet all eligibility criteria set forth in Secs. 124.101 through 124.108 and Sec. 124.112 to the extent that they are not inconsistent with this section.
(b) A concern owned by a Native Hawaiian Organization must qualify as a small business concern as defined in part 121 of this title. The size standard corresponding to the primary industry classification of the applicant concern applies for determining size. SBA will determine the concern's size independently, without regard to its affiliation with the Native Hawaiian Organization or any other business enterprise owned by the Native Hawaiian Organization, unless the Administrator determines that one or more such concerns owned by the Native Hawaiian Organization have obtained, or are likely to obtain, a substantial unfair competitive advantage within an industry category.
(c) An NHO must establish that it is economically disadvantaged and that its business activities will principally benefit Native Hawaiians.
(1) To determine whether an NHO is economically disadvantaged, SBA considers the individual economic status of the NHO's members. The majority of an NHO's members must qualify as economically disadvantaged under Sec. 124.104. For the first 8(a) applicant owned by a particular NHO, individual NHO members must meet the same initial eligibility economic disadvantage thresholds as individually-owned 8(a) applicants. For any additional 8(a) applicant owned by the NHO, individual NHO members must meet the economic disadvantage thresholds for continued 8(a) eligibility. If the NHO has no members, then a majority of the members of the board of directors must qualify as economically disadvantaged. If there are members and a board of directors, only a majority of the members must be economically disadvantaged.
(2) An NHO should describe any activities that it has done to benefit Native Hawaiians at the time its NHO-owned firm applies to the 8(a) BD program. In addition, the NHO must include statements in its bylaws or operating agreements identifying the benefits Native Hawaiians will receive from the NHO. The NHO must have a detailed plan that shows how revenue earned by the NHO will principally benefit Native Hawaiians. As part of an annual review conducted for an NHO-owned Participant, SBA will review how the NHO is fulfilling its obligation to principally benefit Native Hawaiians.
(d) An NHO must control the applicant or Participant firm. To establish that it is controlled by an NHO, an applicant or Participant must demonstrate that the NHO controls its board of directors. An individual responsible for the day-to-day management of an NHO-owned firm need not establish personal social and economic disadvantage.
(e) A Native Hawaiian Organization cannot own 51% or more of another firm which, either at the time of application or within the previous two years, has been operating in the 8(a) program under the same primary NAICS code as the applicant. A Native Hawaiian Organization may, however, own a Participant or an applicant that conducts or will conduct secondary business in the 8(a) BD program under the same NAICS code that a current Participant owned by the Native Hawaiian Organization operates in the 8(a) BD program as its primary NAICS code. In addition, once an applicant is admitted to the 8(a) BD program, it may not receive an 8(a) sole source contract that is a follow-on contract to an 8(a) contract that was performed immediately previously by another Participant (or former Participant) owned by the same Native Hawaiian Organization. For purposes of this paragraph, the same primary NAICS code means the six digit NAICS code having the same corresponding size standard.
(f) SBA does not deem an individual involved in the management or daily business operations of a Participant owned by a Native Hawaiian Organization to have used his or her individual eligibility within the meaning of Sec. 124.108(b).
(g) An applicant concern owned by a NHO must possess reasonable prospects for success in competing in the private sector if admitted to the 8(a) BD program. An applicant concern owned by a NHO may establish potential for success by demonstrating that:
(1) It has been in business for at least two years, as evidenced by income tax returns (individual or consolidated) for each of the two previous tax years showing operating revenues in the primary industry in with the applicant is seeking 8(a) BD certification; or
(2) The individual(s) who will manage and control the daily business operations of the firm have substantial technical and management experience, the applicant has a record of successful performance on contracts from governmental or nongovernmental sources in its primary industry category, and the applicant has adequate capital to sustain its operations and carry out its business plan as a Participant; or
(3) The NHO has made a firm written commitment to support the operations of the applicant concern and it has the financial ability to do so. [63 FR 35739, June 30, 1998, as amended at 76 FR 8256, Feb. 11, 2011; 77 FR 28237, May 14, 2012]