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Tag: SBA

It’s about time “Hidden Figures” get a little love

Although the government has met their small business spending goals over the past five years, women-owned small business contracts continue to lag far behind. In fact, women-owned small business contracts make up less than 5 percent of the total government contract expenditures, according to ChallengeHER, a national initiative to boost government contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses.

Candace Waterman, president, and CEO of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) said her group advocates for women-owned businesses on the Hill. But now, working through ChallengeHER, she has a forum to help educate women. SBA specialists from the agency’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) help train women via ChallengeHER on how best to enter the federal marketplace. (Federal News Network January 2, 2019)

Antonio Doss, SBA’s Washington, D.C. metro area district director, feels that in the DC area female small business owners have found particular success in the IT field.“We have women business owners who are excelling in that area, proving support to agencies like NASA and the Department of Energy, DoD facilities and very technical, scientific, STEM-type disciplines,” he said. (ibid)

Along with agency-to-business contracting, subcontracting opportunities abound. Questions? Call us at 301-913-5000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUBZone Relief!

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is proposing major changes to the Historically Underutilized Business Zone or HUBZone program. The Federal Register defines a HUBZone as, “small business concerns are those that have a principal place of business located in a HUBZone and 35 percent of their employees residing in one or more HUBZones. After SBA certifies eligible businesses into the program, they become eligible for HUBZone contracting preferences. HUBZone areas are generally defined as areas with low income levels, high poverty and unemployment rates, Indian reservations, closed military bases, or disaster areas.”

SBA is seeking comments on the following:

  • eliminating the burden on HUBZone small businesses to continually demonstrate that they meet all eligibility requirements at the time of each offer and award for any HUBZone contract;
  • requiring only annual recertification;
  • allowing small firms to count employees as living in a HUBZone if they move out of the area after initial certification or if the area no longer qualifies as a HUBZone.

You have more than a month to comment, so let SBA know what you think. Submit all comments with the identifier RIN 3245-AG38 by either the Federal eRulemaking Portal or mail (for written, CD, or disk submissions) to Mariana Pardo, Director, HUBZone Program, 409 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 20416.   (Federal Register)

Give us a call for assistance with your comments at 301-913-5000.