[Capchapohio] The Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act

[Beth Debus]

The Americans with Disabilities Business
Opportunity Act

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than two-thirds of 
Americans with disabilities are unemployed 
or vastly underemployed.

The Small Business Act (SBA) is meant to promote an entrepreneurial
spirit. To a substantial degree America’s economic success is tied to
the freedom to engage in entrepreneurial activity and create one’s own wealth.
It has long been the policy of the United States to promote the economic
well-being of traditionally disadvantaged groups by creating a variety of
business incentive programs that allow these groups to participate in the
mainstream of the nation’s economy. 

Section 8(a) of the SBA is a powerful program allowing businesses owned
by racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities or women to secure federal
contracts.However, this program is not extended to Americans
with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities seeking 8(a) certification
must take on the onerous task of proving that they are socially and
economically disadvantaged, while individuals who are from a racial, cultural,
or ethnic minority or women are presumed to be socially disadvantaged. 

Census Bureau statistics indicate that people with disabilities occupy an
inferior status in our society and are severely disadvantaged socially,
vocationally, economically, and educationally. Yet physical or mental
disabilities in no way diminish a person's right to participate fully in all
aspects of society. Many people with disabilities have been precluded from
doing so because of commonly held misconceptions about their abilities. The
continued exclusion from these programs denies people with disabilities the
opportunity to compete on an equal basis and to pursue those opportunities for
which our free society is justifiably famous. 

Disabled people are also excluded from federal procurement practices. Under current law businesses attempting to secure large federal contracts must
guarantee that they will subcontract a portion of the work to small businesses
that are owned by traditionally disadvantaged populations. Again individuals
with disabilities are not considered a traditionally disadvantaged population;
thus businesses owned by individuals with disabilities cannot benefit from
these entrepreneurial opportunities. 


The Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act: 

Amends section 8(a). People with disabilities will be added to the list
of those who are presumed to be socially disadvantaged. Doing this will extend
the opportunity to secure federal contracts to disabled people. 

Changes federal procurement practices. For-profit businesses attempting
to secure large federal contracts can satisfy procurement requirements by
subcontracting with businesses owned by individuals with disabilities. 

HELP UNLEASH THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CAPABILITIES 
OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Sponsor the Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act


For more information
contact:
Jesse Hartle, Government
Programs Specialist
National Federation of the Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2233 E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
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