The American government has long faced the slow procurement of services, due in part to the necessity of relying on big businesses to fill the role. The industry has lacked the input of smaller companies whose infrastructures could allow them to be more agile and to innovate solutions more quickly. This is now changing with the announcement that Lawelawe Defense, Inc. (LDI), a subsidiary of the Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) brand Lawelawe, has been awarded its NHO 8a certification status as a Disadvantaged Small Business by the Small Business Administration. With the development, LDI states that it will focus on speeding the procurement of services for the Federal Government.

The company says that through LDI, Lawelawe has expanded its own capabilities portfolio, which it believes will ultimately help the Government. “We offer services in Human Capital Management, Research and Development, Human Resources, and IT Management,” a spokesperson says. “In particular, we are qualified to perform R&D in the federal space, so we anticipate filling a big need now that we have our certification.”

The previous delays in procurement times, LDI continues, largely stemmed from two issues: company size and the interpretation of acquisition guidelines. “When your infrastructure is large, you have more hoops to jump through, so to speak, and more opportunities for the process to be bogged down,” the company says. “At LDI, we have purposefully kept our operations small but have created a team of highly professional experts who can move quickly. We have streamlined the process, which is why we anticipate being able to reduce the length of the sales cycle.”

LDI explains that with the new 8a certification, it will prioritize helping the Government procure services that are needed to support its mission without putting them out for a competitive bid process. Federal agencies will have the opportunity to directly negotiate agreements with LDI. 

Importantly, the company is now able to be issued direct awards up to $100M without needing a justification and with no threat of protest. LDI says, “This is crucial for our services because prior to solicitation, we can work with contracting officers to bring down procurement time and make the contract process more efficient.”  

LDI has identified other gaps in the industry and is strategically working with reputable firms that can bring both critical and niche capabilities. “By developing relationships with our partners and thinking outside the box, we are improving the procurement process and making the contract lifecycle process more efficient for the Government.” 

As LDI works to support all ends of the federal marketplace, its employees continue to embody the company’s motto: “we become what you need us to become.”

“This is the secret behind our success,” LDI believes. “We are adept at identifying problems, big or small, and solving them. There is no issue you can place in front of us that we will not take on. Our company exists for one reason: to serve those who need us.” 

Lawelawe Defense Inc. (LDI) is a Hawaii-based company that delivers mission-centric solutions, systems, and applications to efficiently execute and deliver on its mission. LDI supports the Native Hawaiian Charity Organization and Hawaiian communities through the commissioning of wellness programs and mental health counseling and through providing Native Hawaiian herbal medicines to treat chronic diseases. 

For more information about LDI, please see https://lawelawedefense.com/ or contact: 

Lawelawe Defense Inc. 

808-757-9084

[email protected]