Diversity is a hallmark of 8(a)

A look at several of WashingtonTechnology's Top 25 8(a) smallbusinesses reveals the broad spectrumof services such companies providethe federal government.For example, M2 Technology Inc., ofSan Antonio, provides services such assystems design and architecture, systemsintegration, and data migration.The company, which ranks No. 6 on ourlist, had $41.2 million in prime-contractingrevenue in 2007. Of that, $24.8 millioncame from 8(a) contracts.The No. 1 company, USfalcon Inc., ofMorrisville, N.C., has capabilities incommand-and-control systems, logistics,and training.To reach the top spot on our list, thecompany had $95.4 million in prime-contractingrevenue, with $8.2 million in 8(a)work.At No. 25, SofTec Solutions Inc. toutsskills in application development, customerrelationship management andconsulting.The small businesses count an array ofagencies as their customers, including theArmy Corps of Engineers, FederalRailroad Administration and ForestService.Market research firm FedSources Inc.conducts the analysis for the Top 25 8(a)companies list, using the same productservices codes and methodology that ituses for the annual WashingtonTechnology Top 100 government contractorslist.The small businesses are rankedaccording to their total prime-contractingdollars in fiscal 2007,not only their 8(a) work.Washington Technology believes that is the best way to judge 8(a) small businesses' progress and successbecause the program's goal is to help create companies that remainviable after graduating. We set a minimum of $1 million in 8(a) workbecause that shows that the program played a role in the companies'success.Of the 25 companies,only ninereceived more thanhalf of their prime-contractingrevenuefrom 8(a) set-asidecontracts. Most of thecompanies rely onnon-8(a) work for thebulk of their revenue.Many of the companieson this year'slist are newcomers, with only four repeats from the 2007 rankings.This is partially because we've broken out Alaska NativeCorporations and tribally owned 8(a) companies into a separateranking. (see related story, Page 30).All of the returning companies broke into the top 10, with BlueTech Inc. leading the way at No. 4, up from the No. 9 spot last year.Catapult Technology Ltd. moved to No. 5 from 14. McKingConsulting Corp. reached No. 8 from 20, and Access Systems Inc.hit No. 9, up from 18.Catapult and Access Systems are making their fourth straightappearance on the Top 25 list. For Access Systems, it will likely be itslast. It graduates from the 8(a) program in November.