Test Drive MBE Magazine May June 2013 | Page 42

Washington Update (continued) the negative impact. The Department of Defense announced that it is going to curtail its Quickpay program, which accelerates payments to contractors as a direct result of the “budget uncertainty the department is facing.” While Quickpay Lopez deals mostly with prime contractors, small business contractors will inevitably experience a cashflow slowdown. Frank Lopez, CEO of the National Hispanic Contractors Association (NHCA) says that the businesses he has spoken with have not yet felt the impact from the shutdown of Quickpay, mainly because they are not considered prime contractors. Most NHCA members subcontract through larger companies that deal directly with the government. Still, Hispanicowned small