Hawaii Small Businesses Roundtable
WASHINGTON, D.C.- On Monday, March 9, Trent Staggs, Region 8 Advocate for the Office of Advocacy (Advocacy), heard directly from over 30 small businesses about burdensome federal red tape during a roundtable event in Honolulu, Hawaii. Advocacy is the independent voice for small business within the executive branch.
According to Advocacy’s 2025 Small Business Profile for Hawaii, there are 144,375 small businesses in the state, accounting for 99.3% of businesses. Additionally, there are 251,556 small business employees, or 49.6% of Hawaii’s employees.
One of the regulations discussed during the roundtable was the Department of War’s (DoW) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Program (CMMC). In 2024, DoW published the final rules for CMMC. In 2025, the Defense Acquisition Regulation Supplement posted rules to incorporate this into all contracts. Advocacy filed comments stating that DoW underestimated the costs of compliance. One Hawaii small business shared that the required software cost them $60,000 for five users in addition to another $10,000-15,000 for the needed policies and procedures.
In addition to the roundtable event, Staggs also visited three small businesses in the food and restaurant industries. The feedback collected during the roundtable event and site visits will be processed and relayed to the White House, Congress, and the appropriate federal agencies in Washington, D.C., all in an effort to reduce the regulatory burdens on Hawaii’s small businesses.
“The feedback small businesses shared with me during Monday’s roundtable event will greatly inform the Office of Advocacy’s ongoing conversations with federal rule makers. It was an honor to meet with so many small businesses and hear what federal red tape needs to be modified or rescinded so they can flourish,” said Staggs. “The Office of Advocacy will always elevate the nationwide voices of small businesses in Washington, D.C.”
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SBA No. 26-10 ADV
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Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is an independent voice for small business within the executive branch. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy directs the office. The Chief Counsel advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policymakers. Economic research, policy analyses, and small business outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional Advocates and an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel’s efforts. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, visit advocacy.sba.gov or call (202) 205-6533.