2 hours ago, Motorcity said:

I can say that my agency has been able to accomplish a lot of great things via 8(a) contracts. That is certainly not an endorsement but more a statement of fact.

This comment reminded me of a great thing we did a long time ago. This was when no dollar ceiling limit existed for 8(a) sole source. This was also when agencies needed to require a delegation of procurement authority from GSA to purchase IT hardware.

My agency, CBP, needed to buy a mainframe computer system, acquire space for a data center, and recruit a large number of employees to operate everything. We were faced with at least a three year timeframe to do it all. We got the idea to have an 8(a) accomplish it all through a contract for facility management operations. The contractor would conduct a competitive procurement for the mainframe, acquire space, and operate everything for us using their own employees. We simply paid for it all as a service contract.

It turned out everything was up and running in one year and below budget.

2 hours ago, Motorcity said:

how these differences play out in the media

I am already done with this view. Watched a report from a national outlet who proclaimed the audit was with regard to the "8(a) loan program" of SBA. Others get it I realize but all the same I think general interest and knowledge equals the small impact of the program on Federal acquisition.

1 hour ago, Retreadfed said:

but has there been an in-depth analysis of how program graduates do after they leave the program?

A link follows of an example of sort. It is from 2018. And I would offer without further research that such an analysis has undoubtedly been performed since the inception of the Program yet the Program still survives. https://dair.nps.edu/bitstream/123456789/1602/1/SYM-AM-18-087.pdf

So maybe as a business development program questionable in creating firms that are sustainable. But then again I have the experience of knowing a person whose business was a part of the program and whose business no longer exists but the individual was successful otherwise. Maybe the measure is one akin to a college degree. A business development program that gives support in developing knowledge, skills and abilities and all, after a businesses demise, is applied otherwise. Like a person that got a degree in accounting and wanted to be a CPA and is now a successful cattle rancher. With the next question being - Is the 8(a) Program investment good anyways?

As I already noted rhetorical questions when it comes to the current chaos.