The Case

In "The Case: SBA Failure to Protect 8a Contractor Combating Fraud" Joseph N. Cooper discusses the serious problem of federal government contracts designated for small and women or minority-owned businesses being fraudulently given away to large, multi-million dollar firms. It is based on the story of the author's business, J. Cooper & Associates, a small business that participated in the U.S. Small Business Administration 8(a) program. His business had acquired an $8-million contract with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service only to see it evaporate when a federal contracting officer rescinded the deal and gave it away to friends who ran a large corporation, which was neither small nor wholly owned by women or minorities. Cooper claims J. Walter Thompson, Bernard Hodes and CASS Communications benefitted from this act. Unlike other small business owners who witnessed government malfeasance, Cooper took his case to two courts over a 15-year period to fight for justice. His is the first and only case of its type to appear in court regarding fraud in this particular government program. "The Case" is a book that will inform small business owners and entrepreneurs planning to launch a business of their own just how easy it is for the federal government to destroy a small firm. "When entering into an agreement or contract, one should have a good understanding of the contract and do not, under any circumstances, do anything that is asked of you by the contracting officer or program officer until you get it in writing," Cooper advises. His blistering exposé will give insight into the significant legal hurdles his business had to clear in order to obtain justice. It shows explicitly how government contracting offices and courts ignored long-standing laws and existing regulations. The reader will get the chance to view the entire legal argument made before the U.S. Federal Claims Court as well as understand why small businesses have lost over $35 billion in Federal Small Business contracts to big businesses. "The Case" is an eye-opening book that will shock small business owners and educate anyone concerned about government fraud in contracting offices.
About the Author: Joseph N. Cooper has worked inside four United States presidential administrations. During the two Reagan administrations, he was a high-ranking black Republican appointee. He was national director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs in the U.S. Department of Labor where he fought hard and long to keep the affirmative action program alive and well. He resigned to protest administration policies because he said some Administration officials was "paying only lip service" to anti-discrimination laws. As an assistant director in the Minority Business Development Agency, where he established the first Minority Enterprise Development Week the largest federally sponsored yearly event on minority enterprise development. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.