Are you a women-owned small business? Do you want to do business with the government?
If your answer is yes, things are looking up!
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently proposed a rule aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSB). This proposed rule will expand opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts, in particular those owned by women, minorities and veterans.
While women-owned firms in this country employ 13.1 million people, just 2.7 percent of Federal Recovery Act contracts have been awarded to women-owned firms. Only 3.4 percent of all federal contracts are awarded to woman-owned companies, despite the federal government having a goal of awarding 5 percent of contracts to women-owned firms.
This proposed rule identifies 83 industries (identified by “NAICS” codes) in which WOSBs are under-represented or substantially under-represented in the federal contract marketplace. For a full listing of these 83 codes, go to the Government Procurement Assistance Center under Services at website www.wbcna.org/.
“We are excited about this proposed rule,” says Stephanie Sellers, who is WBCNA’s Program Manager and Certified in Federal Contracting, “because this rule is aimed at leveling the playing field for women-owned small businesses to compete for and win federal contacts.” The federal government has an existing statutory goal that 5 percent of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses. Other goals are:
- 23% of prime contracts for small businesses
- 5% of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses
- 3% of prime and subcontracts for HUBZone businesses
- 3% of prime and subcontracts for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses
Some of the components of the proposed rule include:
• To be eligible, a firm must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens.
• The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. For size standards in each industry, go to SBA’s website at http://www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/officials/size/index.html.
• The proposed rule authorizes a set-aside of federal contracts for WOSBs where the anticipated contract price does not exceed $5 million in the case of manufacturing contracts and $3 million in the case of other contracts. Contracts with values in excess of these limits are not subject to set-aside under this program.
• The proposed rule allows women-owned small businesses to self-certify as “WOSBs” or to be certified by third-party certifiers, including government entities and private certification groups.
More and more small business owners want to do business with the Government in our region and that is only going to increase as BRAC continues to bring in more Federal work and contractors to support it. As such, the WBCNA announced in January the establishment of a Government Procurement Assistance Center (GPAC) to help small businesses learn how to compete in that market.
While the WBCNA has been coaching and training existing and aspiring government contractors for years, the plan is to enhance our offerings to better serve entrepreneurs in North Alabama. The following services are being offered:
• One-on-one customized coaching
• CCR registration assistance
• NAICS codes identification
• Online training
• Certifications (8A, HUBZone, MBE, WBE, DBE)
• Networking opportunities and business matchmaking
• Assistance with Capabilities Statement development
• Identification of small business contacts (government and prime)
• Website resources
• Identification of business opportunities and bid match assistance
Training is a major component of the GPAC. Workshops on the following topics will be among those offered throughout the year:
• 12-Step Program for Doing Business with the Government
• Certifications (8A, HUBZone, MBE, WBE, DBE)
• How to Successfully Market Your Small Business to the Government Sector
• GSA Schedules - What are They and How to Use Them
• Government Contractor Accounting Made Easy
• Mentor-Protégé Program
• Developing Entrepreneurial Skills
To learn more about doing business with the government, call 256-535-2038 to schedule an appointment with a business coach, or go online to www.wbcna.org. WBCNA is conveniently located in the Chamber of Commerce at 225 Church Street.
By Joanne W. Randolph, WBCNA President & CEO
If your answer is yes, things are looking up!
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently proposed a rule aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSB). This proposed rule will expand opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts, in particular those owned by women, minorities and veterans.
While women-owned firms in this country employ 13.1 million people, just 2.7 percent of Federal Recovery Act contracts have been awarded to women-owned firms. Only 3.4 percent of all federal contracts are awarded to woman-owned companies, despite the federal government having a goal of awarding 5 percent of contracts to women-owned firms.
This proposed rule identifies 83 industries (identified by “NAICS” codes) in which WOSBs are under-represented or substantially under-represented in the federal contract marketplace. For a full listing of these 83 codes, go to the Government Procurement Assistance Center under Services at website www.wbcna.org/.
“We are excited about this proposed rule,” says Stephanie Sellers, who is WBCNA’s Program Manager and Certified in Federal Contracting, “because this rule is aimed at leveling the playing field for women-owned small businesses to compete for and win federal contacts.” The federal government has an existing statutory goal that 5 percent of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses. Other goals are:
- 23% of prime contracts for small businesses
- 5% of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses
- 3% of prime and subcontracts for HUBZone businesses
- 3% of prime and subcontracts for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses
Some of the components of the proposed rule include:
• To be eligible, a firm must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens.
• The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. For size standards in each industry, go to SBA’s website at http://www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/officials/size/index.html.
• The proposed rule authorizes a set-aside of federal contracts for WOSBs where the anticipated contract price does not exceed $5 million in the case of manufacturing contracts and $3 million in the case of other contracts. Contracts with values in excess of these limits are not subject to set-aside under this program.
• The proposed rule allows women-owned small businesses to self-certify as “WOSBs” or to be certified by third-party certifiers, including government entities and private certification groups.
More and more small business owners want to do business with the Government in our region and that is only going to increase as BRAC continues to bring in more Federal work and contractors to support it. As such, the WBCNA announced in January the establishment of a Government Procurement Assistance Center (GPAC) to help small businesses learn how to compete in that market.
While the WBCNA has been coaching and training existing and aspiring government contractors for years, the plan is to enhance our offerings to better serve entrepreneurs in North Alabama. The following services are being offered:
• One-on-one customized coaching
• CCR registration assistance
• NAICS codes identification
• Online training
• Certifications (8A, HUBZone, MBE, WBE, DBE)
• Networking opportunities and business matchmaking
• Assistance with Capabilities Statement development
• Identification of small business contacts (government and prime)
• Website resources
• Identification of business opportunities and bid match assistance
Training is a major component of the GPAC. Workshops on the following topics will be among those offered throughout the year:
• 12-Step Program for Doing Business with the Government
• Certifications (8A, HUBZone, MBE, WBE, DBE)
• How to Successfully Market Your Small Business to the Government Sector
• GSA Schedules - What are They and How to Use Them
• Government Contractor Accounting Made Easy
• Mentor-Protégé Program
• Developing Entrepreneurial Skills
To learn more about doing business with the government, call 256-535-2038 to schedule an appointment with a business coach, or go online to www.wbcna.org. WBCNA is conveniently located in the Chamber of Commerce at 225 Church Street.
By Joanne W. Randolph, WBCNA President & CEO
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