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Published On: Fri, Mar 30th, 2012

Kevin J. Allis fires back at critics and talks about the Future of NACA

Weekly Edition | March 30th | By: Editor, A.Chambers

Kevin J. Allis sits down with the Navajo Post

Kevin J. Allis, Executive Director of Native American Contractors Association

Washington, D.C. - The Native American Contractors Association recently selected Kevin J. Allis as the organization’s new Executive Director, “We welcome Kevin to NACA with enthusiasm,” said NACA Chairman Lance Morgan. “Kevin has experience working with Tribes throughout Indian Country and has led his tribes’ efforts to expand into the government contracting arena.”

In Oct. 2011, what was described as a ‘rogue employee’ Harold Babb, was indicted for being involved in a bribery and kickback scheme, Mr. Babb intends to plead guilty later this month. The new Executive Director Kevin Allis said “We and our members have no tolerance for any actions that violate the law, and this individual will receive, and deserves, the forthcoming punishment that no doubt will be consistent with the punishments issued over the past decade to the dozens of employees who engaged in conduct designed to misappropriate hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, while working for some of the largest federal contractors in the country. NACA and its members are committed to adhering to high ethical standards when providing valuable and quality services to the federal government.”

Mr Allis also added “Harold does not represent NACA for any of our Federal contractors. His is a criminal, he is a crook- a bad actor in the arena. Our company has a long successful line in engaging and providing people with what they need and this should not cast a shadow on everybody.”

NACA said there mission is to it’s members and shareholders of the SBA 8(a) program “we want make sure we do not become a victim of the people taking money.we make sure our members sign the code of ethics, to ensure integrity and make sure we engage in business activities with the most respect and the proper use of tax payers dollars.” adding “We provide workshops for our members and communities to follow design to provide information on standards and law. In the next 45 days we will publish a ‘best practices guide’ for our members to read and follow.” said Kevin Allis.

Kevin also said they are going to work with congress “a few things were looking at is a constant eye on congress up on the hill, because it may have some kind of impact on the native 8 programs. We make contacts and have relationship with them. workshops to provide information, depending on where you are it could be more advance or if your trying to get into a program.”

NACA provides contractors with information on how to get certified in the 8A’s programs. Kevin said it provides them with the foundation needed to be successful. “as the year progresses we begin a very proactive media relations strategy that will be design to engage and communicate with getting the media and congress to understand our program. congressional staffers do not really have a good concept about us. We are looking to shed some light on the Minority associations to make real efforts and cross pollinate with them to do business. 8a contractors or Alaskan corporation really do have a desire to create partnerships with organizations that have the same interest. As well as Women owned organizations, to create a collaborative effort we want to bring all people together”

Mr. Allis said he is working with a Navajo Tribal owned company, NOVA Corporation who is a member of NACA. Overall, Kevin said they are looking to gain more traction to be more vocal and work on better ways to do business. “NACA has been very successful, since 2004 we went from 20 to over 50 members today they represent small or sub companies we have acheived what we needed. We are very vocal and we are involved, that comes with hard work in which we have accomplished. we are in a period that is a little quite right now,  but we feel like we have been very successful and we are just gearing up proactive in Nov to push out a lot of information that congress will have to deal with. We will be traveling around the country, in ten days I will be in Alaska, and through the U.S.”

We asked Kevin if NACA would support a 2012 Presidential Candidate he said “We are still discussing that, the board will be involved on weather or not we will endorse, we will put together some effort to get behind a politician, but at this point I do not have a answer.”

Kevin fires back at Indian Country Today article

Throughout the course of history, Indian Country has been the victim of unwarranted and harmful attacks from the outside. That is why it is so troubling when our own communities are wrongfully attacked from other factions from within Indian Country.  It is even more troublesome when the weapons used to mount such attacks are formed from inaccurate information.  Recently an article was published in Indian Country Today (March 14, 2012:  NCAIED and NIGA Partnership on the Right Track) that unjustly accused members of the Native American Contractors Association (“NACA”), specifically its Alaska Native Corporation members (“ANCs”), of not adequately supporting RES2012.  The fact is that NACA, and all of its members, are proud and excited to be part of the RES conference each and every year. 

 More specifically, the article contains the statement, “There was an absence of Alaska Native Corporation exhibitors.”  Sadly, had the author walked the entire exhibition floor, he would have seen dozens of booths belonging to ANCs. Although correctly identifying two NACA members (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and Chugach Alaska Corporation), it’s hard to fathom how the author could have missed the very large booths of Sealaska Corporation, NANA Development Corporation, and Bering Straits Native Corporation, just to name a few.  In fact, NANA Development Corporation not only had a very large booth, it was a conference sponsor, has a shareholder and officer of the company on the NCAIED Board of Directors, and had 31 paid attendees.

 In the true spirit of the RES2012 Conference, ANCs contributed to the success of the conference.  Representatives of all thirteen (13) of the regional ANCs, and dozens of the village corporations, attended and fully participated in the conference.  More specifically, over 160 members of ANCs were present, many staffing their twenty plus (20+) booths. The total dollar investment of ANC involvement in RES2012 was well over $300,000 which included over $30,000 in sponsorships. NACA was a Turquoise Sponsor at RES2012 ($18,000), and hosted a reception attended by 500+ people, from all corners of the country, that for over 2 hours mingled and no doubt discussed business relationships and opportunities.  NACA’s Executive Director, Kevin Allis stated, “Our member ANCs are committed to the success of the RES conference, and undeniably recognize the significance and the importance of building strong and meaningful relationships with Tribes and Tribal entities located in the lower 48 states, and those in Hawaii. From our data, NACA member representatives participated during the general sessions, sat on numerous panels, but more importantly, our members conducted over 160 meetings with tribal entities from across the country.” 

 In addition to ANC participation, agents from associations from Alaska that represent the interests of Alaska Natives (i.e. ANCSA Regional Association, Alaska Federation of Natives), along with members of the Alaskan congressional delegation were also in attendance. 

“Certainly, if there was only an interest of all these individuals and entities to simply mingle with other Alaskans, none would have made the trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. Contrary to the suggestions made in the Indian Country Today article, all attended RES2012 for the specific purpose of developing relationships with Native entities in the lower 48 states and Hawaii,” stated Kevin Allis.

 One thing is clear, no matter what the cause may be, Native people and communities, from the tip of Maine to the furthest northern regions of Alaska, must unite in order to serve our respective communities in the most effective and responsible manner.  We have come too far to let divide and conquer tactics, especially from within Indian Country, fracture our communities today. Such tactics should not be tolerated by anyone in the Native American community. There is much to be learned from one another, whether from Alaska Natives, Tribes, or Native Hawaiians. Our goal should be to keep our Native communities united, and build upon our successes and learn from our failures. Efforts to divide should be soundly rejected. Such efforts do no justice to our overall goal of developing self-sustaining communities. We at NACA strive to bring communities together in pursuing our mission to secure the SBA 8(a) program for Indian Country, and will vehemently object those who attempt to divide. 

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Kevin J. Allis fires back at critics and talks about the Future of NACA