20 February 2011 | Angeline Albert
Small, women-owned businesses are being
given a greater chance to win US government contracts.
For the first time a programme has been
launched which allows contracting officers to set aside specific contracts for
women-owned small businesses (WOSBs).
The US
Small Business Administration (SBA) is the government agency in charge of the programme which has identified 83
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes where these
businesses are under-represented. Contracting officers may set aside work in
these industries so long as the contract can be awarded at a “fair and
reasonable price”; that the contracting officer expects two or more WOSBs to
submit offers; and the anticipated contract price is not greater than $5
million (£3 million) for manufacturing deals or $3 million (£1.85 million) for
others.
The move aims to help agencies meet their
goal of awarding 5 per cent of federal contracting money to WOSBs.
To qualify as a WOSB, a firm must be at
least 51 per cent owned and controlled by one or more women and primarily
managed by one or more women, and the women must be US citizens.
“Implementing the WOSB contracting rule has
been a top priority for the Obama Administration and SBA,” said SBA’s
administrator Karen Mills. “Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest
growing sectors of the economy. As we continue to look to small businesses to
grow, create jobs and lead America into the future, women-owned businesses will
play a key role. That’s why providing them with all the tools necessary to
compete for and win federal contracts is so important. Federal contracts can
provide women-owned small businesses with the oxygen they need to take their
business to the next level.”
The SBA expects to see the first contracts
awarded to these firms by the fourth quarter of the 2011 financial year.
