Over recent decades there has been a growth of opportunities for minority owned businesses. During the same time the economic development efforts of Native American tribes has grown also. This can mean some very unique opportunities for a Native American owned business.

Minority Programs
Obviously, a native owned company will qualify for many of the minority programs that are available. The most lucrative of which are the federal programs like the SBA 8(a) program and the HUBZone program. Then there are corporate procurement programs like the national and regional minority supplier diversity councils, they assist minority businesses in becoming vendors for the large corporations. In addition to these there are many regional and local programs for minority businesses that a Native American owned business can take advantage.

Native Programs
Then there are specific and unique advantages for Native owned companies. One example is the Indian Incentive Program from the United States Department of Defense. The Indian Incentive Program is a government set-aside to assist Native American small businesses to receive contracts from the military. Another example of advantages for Native American small businesses is a purchasing preference that certain tribes provide Native vendors. As a matter of fact Native American housing programs are supposed to get bids for projects from Native contractors first. Then if there are no acceptable bids from qualified bidders the housing programs can do a second round of bidding accepting bids from all vendors.

Still, even with these preference programs it is not easy to get business from the previously mentioned potential clients- the federal government, large corporations, and Native American tribes. These types of clients have a long history and a large vendor database. They are also obvious targets for all businesses to pursue. While the preference programs are there to help minority or Native American businesses get that business, it is not so simple.

A native owned company still has to be able to do the work. And not only to be able to do the work, but they have to do it so impressively that the client takes notice. Because it is only when the client takes notice that they will accept and use the minority preference programs to help keep the Native business as a vendor. What this means is that the business will probably have to be able to get the initial order on their own merits. A business will have to be able to sell a purchasing, contracting, or procurement officer on their ability to get an initial/trial order.

The best thing that a Native American owned company can do before pursuing minority/Native preference business is to do business without. The company can show that it can stand on its own feet without having to be Native American owned. That is the business can do what they do well and are also able to market themselves well. This independence is important because it is the ability to do the work and to market themselves which will make them successful once they enter in the preference programs.