Preparing a
Socially Disadvantaged Narrative

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Background

• A recent federal Court decision prohibited SBA from automatically presuming that someone from a specified race or ethnic group was "socially disadvantaged"


• Persons wishing to participate in SBA's Section 8(a) Contracting Set-Aside Program must now submit a narrative describing why they think that they are "socially disadvantaged"

Overview

• In preparing the actual narrative refer frequently to SBA's "Guide for Writing a Social Disadvantage Narrative".


• The Narrative should be limited to two incidents to avoid unnecessary delays to the review process.  One incident may be enough to establish social disadvantage if it is pervasive or recurring.

Describe Your Identity

• Clearly describe which identity or characteristics you possess.  Race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, identifiable disability, and isolation from American society are all categories of identities/characteristics that can form the basis of successful social disadvantage narrative

Describe Incidents of Bias

• The Narrative must include descriptions of incidents where the applicant personally experienced bias resulting in a degree of chronic and substantial social disadvantage.  The described incidents should be related to experiences in:


• Education - SBA considers factors such as:


• denial of equal access to institutions of higher education;
• exclusion from social and professional association with students or teachers;
• denial of education honors rightfully earned;
• social patterns or pressures which discouraged the individual from pursuing a professional or business education.


• Employment - SBA considers factors such as:


• unequal treatment in hiring, promotions, and other aspects of professional advancement;
• pay and fringe benefits;
• terms and conditions of employment; or
• retaliatory or discriminatory behavior by an employer; and
• social patterns or pressures which have channeled the individual into nonprofessional or non-business fields.


• Business history - SBA considers factors such as:


• unequal access to credit or capital;
• acquisition of credit or capital under commercially unfavorable circumstances;
• unequal treatment in opportunities for government contracts or other work;
• unequal treatment by potential customers and business associates;
• exclusion from business or professional organizations

What to Include in Each Description:

• For each incident, please describe who, what, where, why, when, and how discrimination or bias occurred.  Provide the information in the following order:


• When - Explain when the discriminatory conduct occurred. Exact dates, if available, are preferred but are not necessary so long as the incident provides a specific time period. This discrimination can be from any period of your life; you do not need to be experiencing current discrimination to qualify.


• Where - Explain where the discriminatory conduct occurred. The incident must have occurred in American society.


• Who - Explain who committed the discriminatory action. This could include an individual, a group of individuals, or an institution. Individual names, where available, are preferred but not necessary so long as the incident provides a specific figure or organization.


• What - Explain the discriminatory conduct.


• Why - Explain the reason(s) that the conduct was more likely motivated by bias or discrimination than other non-discriminatory reasons. Without additional facts, a mere assertion that the action was the result of bias or discrimination is not enough to support a claim of social disadvantage.


• How - Explain how each instance of discriminatory conduct impacted your entry into or advancement in the business world. Offensive comments or conduct, while reprehensible, will not support a a claim of social disadvantage if there is no negative impact associated with the incident.