Native corporations in dispute over federal contract

Tuesday, August 14, 2007  

Several Alaska Native corporations and Native-owned businesses are on opposite sides of a federal contracting dispute.

Doyon Ltd., an Alaska Native regional corporation, and the Nenana Lumber Co., a Native-owned company, have filed a protest with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They say the agency improperly awarded a multi-year contract to three Alaska Native corporation subsidiaries.

At issue is the Small Business Administration 8(a) program for minority-owned businesses. Nenana Lumber became 8(a) certified in November 2002, much longer than the corporations that won the contract.

The Bristol Design Build Services, LLC, a subsidiary of the Bristol Bay Native Corp., became 8(a) certified in February 2005; Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of the of the Kodiak-based Afognak Native Corp., received 8(a) status in February 2006; and Chugach Government Services Inc, a subsidiary of the Chugach Alaska Corp., became certified last August, The Fairbanks Daily News Miner reported.

Get the Story:
Contractors take protest to federal agency (The Fairbanks Daily News Miner 8/14)

Related Stories:
Tex Hall: Contracting under attack in Congress (7/20)
Court opens Alaska Native corporation to suit (5/4)
Opinion: Alaska Natives need tribes not corporations (04/23)
Alaska Native corporations a major force in state (11/15)
Column: Alaska Natives abuse minority contracting (11/13)
Alaska Native contracting program questioned (07/17)
Alaska Native contracting comes under attack (6/22)
House hearing on Alaska Native corporation contracting (6/21)
Court throws out suit challenging Indian preference (4/28)
GAO calls for more oversight of Alaska Native contracts (04/28)
Sen. Stevens defends Alaska Native contracting (04/13)
GAO warns of Alaska Native contract abuse (4/12)
Business Week: Choctaws land shady Katrina contract (4/5)
Alaska Native corporations await GAO report (03/20)
Defense rider targets Alaska Native contracting (4/25)
Opinion: Congressional probe will hurt Indian business (03/21)
Alaska Native corporation contracts under scrutiny (3/7)
Non-Native companies benefit from Native contracting (08/13)
Alaska Native subsidiary wins defense contract (06/29)
Alaska Native subsidiary awarded NASA contract (06/25)
Native firm leases Stevens building for $6M (12/18)
Supreme Court rejects appeal of Native preference case (12/16)
Court rejects union claim against Native contract (06/09)
Native corp close to $2.5B contract (09/09)
Alaska Native deal criticized (6/14)
Native Corp. survives bankruptcy (5/30)