Critics see ‘chilling effect’ of DOD crackdown on 8(a) small-biz deals

Critics see ‘chilling effect’ of DOD crackdown on 8(a) small-biz deals

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Jan. 16 lambasted a decades-old contracting program that provides business opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses, calling it a breeding ground for fraud and disparaging it as a “DEI” effort.But experts and an executive from a firm that uses such contracts say the level of fraud critics like Hegseth alleged has been greatly exaggerated.Some fear the harsh rhetoric around the program signals a desir…