Small Business Winners: Who Gets the Contracts?
The federal government is required to set aside contracts for small businesses. Here's who benefits.
Key Insight
Atlantic Diving Supply leads with $6.0B — supplying military equipment. Many top "small businesses" are subsidiaries of larger companies or Alaska Native Corporations that receive sole-source contracts through the SBA 8(a) program.
Are These Really "Small" Businesses?
The federal small business set-aside program was designed to help mom-and-pop shops compete for government work. But the reality looks different. Several of the top recipients are Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) — entities that can receive unlimited sole-source contracts regardless of size, thanks to SBA 8(a) exemptions.
Companies like Akima, Alutiiq, Chenega, and Chugach are subsidiaries of billion-dollar ANCs. Atlantic Diving Supply, while technically independent, is a major military supplier doing $6 billion in business — hardly what most people picture when they hear "small business."
The program channels billions to a small number of sophisticated contractors who know how to navigate the system, while truly small businesses struggle to compete.
Top 20 Small Business Recipients
All 20 Recipients
| Rank | Recipient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc. | $6.0B |
| 2 | Akima Global Logistics, LLC | $2.8B |
| 3 | Mec Energy Services LLC | $2.7B |
| 4 | Alutiiq Solutions, LLC | $2.7B |
| 5 | Chenega Reliable Services LLC | $2.7B |
| 6 | Waseyabek Federal Services, L.l.c. | $2.7B |
| 7 | Tatitlek Management Services, LLC | $2.7B |
| 8 | Chugach Pacific Solutions LLC | $2.7B |
| 9 | Koniag Building Services, LLC | $2.7B |
| 10 | W S Darley & Co | $1.5B |
| 11 | Fcn, Inc. | $1.0B |
| 12 | Minburn Technology Group, LLC | $940.6M |
| 13 | Noble Supply & Logistics, LLC | $938.4M |
| 14 | Four Points Technology, L.l.c. | $885.5M |
| 15 | Thundercat Technology, LLC | $864.1M |
| 16 | V3gate, LLC | $820.2M |
| 17 | Supplycore LLC | $779.2M |
| 18 | Asrc Federal Facilities Logistics, LLC | $751.2M |
| 19 | Defense Systems And Solutions | $673.4M |
| 20 | Csi Aviation, Inc. | $660.6M |