Enlightened Is Now HUBZone Certified

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Enlightened, Inc. ("Enlightened"), a leading provider of Information Technology (IT) consulting services, is pleased to announce that the company has received HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) certification from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The SBA certified Enlightened as a "qualified HUBZone small business concern".  The company is now eligible to receive HUBZone contracting opportunities, and will be included in the listing of SBA qualified HUBZone small business concerns.

The purpose of the HUBZone Program is to "stimulate economic development and create jobs in urban and rural communities by providing Federal contracting preferences to small businesses." These preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification in part by employing staff who live in a HUBZone and maintain a "principal office" in one of these specially designated areas.  

Enlightened's HUBZone designation allows federal program managers, contracting officers and contracting specialists easier access to deliver IT and management consulting services to a host of federal government clients, as well as, assists federal agencies in meeting their small business contracting goals. Since 2008, Enlightened has expanded its operations to several cities outside of the Washington DC metropolitan area, including Albany, NY, Columbus, OH, and Chicago, IL, hiring additional personnel and creating job opportunities in economically challenged areas.  

"The HUBZone Program directly impacts and improves unemployment.  This designation allows Enlightened to promote economic development and create jobs in the communities in which we are located," said Antwanye Ford, Enlightened's President.  

About the HUBZone Program

The HUBZone program was enacted into law as part of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997. Its mission is to promote job growth, capital investment, and economic development to historically underutilized business zones, referred to as HUBZones, by providing contracting assistance to small businesses located in these economically distressed communities.  The SBA regulates and implements the program, determines which businesses are eligible to receive HUBZone contracts, maintains a listing of qualified HUBZone small businesses federal agencies can use to locate vendors, and adjudicates protests of eligibility to receive HUBZone contracts.

About Enlightened

Founded in 1999, Enlightened, Inc. is an IT and management consulting firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. Enlightened provides support to federal and local government agencies and commercial customers. Enlightened holds GSA IT-70 and MOBIS schedule contracts, and is certified as a Small Business by the Small Business Administration.

SOURCE Enlightened, Inc.