About

The 8(a) Authority is a small business located in Odenton, Maryland.

Having built and sold one of the most successful 8(a) businesses in the history of the program, it is the mission and passion of Principal Richard “Dick” Otero that The 8(a) Authority assist other small business owners in securing SBA and state certifications that are the most beneficial for their company. With nearly 50 years of relevant experience in the area of small and disadvantaged business, The 8(a) Authority provides expert advisement, services, and products to help your company secure access to the billions in set-aside competitive and sole-source federal procurements available to SBA 8(a), HUBZone, Women, and Service Disabled Veteran owned certified participants.

Our Process

The 8(a) Authority provides you with a free, pre-qualifying interview. As no two applicants are alike, our interview is extensive yet concise, and unique to each business concern. We know the cost in time and money if you stand little chance of being certified for any of the SBA programs.

It is our mission and passion to assist every qualified small business in America to seek and secure 8(a)BD, HUBZone, woman-owned small business, Service Disabled Veteran and state certifications in the shortest time, least energy and financial investment as possible.

Once certified, our robust GovCon network will help you find the right resources to maximize your certification.

Richard Otero

Richard “Dick” Otero is the founder of The 8(a) Authority. He has been active in the GovCon world for nearly fifty years. His first company, RJO Enterprises, Inc. was a high-tech company that specialized in information technology and electronics. RJO was acknowledged as one of the country’s top-performing 8(a) businesses. For five consecutive years, the company received recognition as one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine.

In March 1998, he sold his interest in RJO, and started another company, EZCertify, where he developed software to help simplify the 8(a) process. Considered the person who “wrote the book on the 8(a) process”, he also taught a class for the SBA on how to write the 8(a) Business Plan. His current company, The 8(a) Authority, has been in business for several decades, and has assisted thousands of companies in securing SBA certifications and navigating the GovCon arena.

Otero was instrumental in the founding of the National Federation of 8(a) Companies and the National Coalition of Minority Businesses. He also served as chair of the Maryland and Virginia Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, President of the Latin-American Management Association, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Minority Business RoundTable.