8(a) Certification: Is It Still the Fastest Path to Federal Contracts?

The SBA 8(a) Business Development program offers up to 9 years of advantages: sole-source awards up to $4.5M ($7.5M manufacturing), limited-competition set-asides, and Mentor-Protege support. Pros: sole-source authority is a genuine superpower; agencies get small-business credit using you. Cons: the 9-year clock runs whether you use it or not; application rigor is real.

If you're 8(a) certified, what's the single best thing it did for your pipeline? If you're considering it, what's holding you back?