Events

The federal government does amazing things to assist our nation’s “small businesses.” But when it comes time to sell, there are always concerns about that support muddying the waters. Whether the business benefits from a disadvantaged status (such as minority, female, or veteran-owned) or is simply a business that relies on the government for a large piece of its revenue, there are quite a few myths surrounding the interaction of M&A and government ties. Join us for a debunking of myths on February 25th, when Benchmark International's Managing Director Clinton Johnston interviews both William Sullivan, Benchmark International’s resident expert on selling government contracting businesses, and, Sally Woodward, a partner at the law firm of Shutts & Bowen LLP, whose unique expertise with government contracting issues has ensured the success of numerous transactions.

Here are some common myths that we will discuss: (some of which are true or partially true)

1. I can’t sell my business because I am qualified as a disadvantaged business due to my ownership
2. If I sell, the business will lose all its government contracts
3. The only potential buyer is one that has my same qualification
4. My company qualifies as an 8A business, so any buyer will be too big to keep the qualification, and that is a significant impediment
5. If I sell, I have to go back to all the government agencies to transfer my contracts and that is impossible

We will also discuss some of the steps business owners can take to minimize the impact of government ties in the lead up to taking their business to market and take a look at where the supply and demand curves presently sit for such businesses.