Tribally Owned
The Eastern Shawnee Companies are 100% tribally owned by the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe. Contracting with tribally owned businesses brings significant benefits to clients, including saving time and money during the acquisition process.
Tribal Advantages
ISBEE & The Buy Indian Act
The U.S. government gives the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) the authority to set aside procurement contracts for Indian-owned and controlled businesses through The Buy Indian Act (25 U.S.C. §47). The Buy Indian Act regulations are included in the Department of the Interior Acquisition Regulations (DIAR) part 1480. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and other bureaus in the Department of the Interior may also be authorized to set aside procurement contracts under this Act.
The Buy Indian regulations give preference, where authorized and applicable, to the hiring of Native American employees and purchasing of products, supplies and services from eligible Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE) and Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE). The ESC is eligible Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises.
Indian Incentive Program
The U.S. government provides a monetary incentive through its Indian Incentive Program (25 U.S.C. §1544) to eligible prime contractors for hiring Native American-owned companies like the ESC as subconsultants.
The program
• Offers up to 5% of the amount paid to ESC returned to the prime contractor after work is completed
• Requires authorization in the contract
• Requires the funds be expended
SBA 8(a) Business Development Program
Some of our companies are certified in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program, which offers the following contracting advantages:
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- Sole-source contracting that eliminates the time and cost of market research, acquisition strategies, solicitation, proposal review and contractor selection
- Sole-source contracting above the $4M threshold (13CFR §124.506(b))
- Sole-source contracting up to $22M without justification and authorization (13CFR §124.506(b)(5))
- Contract awards that cannot be protested (13CFR §124.517(a))
Sole-Source Opportunities
Enterprises owned by tribes participating in the 8(a) program can enjoy a special privilege: they’re not bound by the standard $4 million limit on sole-source contracts that other 8(a) certified small businesses face. This exemption creates an avenue for securing sole-source contracts that are tailored to optimize our clients’ objectives, align with their financial goals, fulfill their missions, and foster crucial partnerships.
Sole-source contracting streamlines service delivery and eliminates the bureaucratic hurdles of the traditional government procurement process, saving both time and resources. Furthermore, since sole-source contracts are immune to protests, our seasoned technical and managerial personnel within the Eastern Shawnee Companies can promptly commence the delivery of contracted services.
