14 FAH-2 H-240
SOCIOECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
(CT:COR-31; 03-27-2015)
(Office of Origin: A/OPE)
14 FAH-2 H-241 GENERAL
(CT:COR-31; 03-27-2015)
a. The U.S. Government buys
supplies and services on a competitive basis. The U.S. Government also implements through the acquisition process
policies to foster socioeconomic objectives. Programs provide contracting
opportunities to small, small-disadvantaged, women-owned small, HUBZone small,
veteran-owned small, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
b. The largest socioeconomic programs consist of those
established for small businesses. Some small
business groups singled out for preference are
small business concerns and small business concerns owned by/controlled by
socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Both types of firms have
been given special status in U.S. Government contracting under the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.).
c. A small business concern is defined in the Small
Business Act as one which is independently owned and operated and which is not
dominant in its field of operation (15
U.S.C. 632(a)).
d. A small business concern owned and controlled by
socially and economically disadvantaged individuals is defined as one which:
(1) Meets the Act's definition of "small business
concern";
(2) Is at least 51 percent owned or controlled by
socially and economically disadvantaged individuals;
(3) Is under the control of such individuals for its
management and daily business operations; and
(4) A firm
meeting those requirements may be
certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as an "8(a)"
firm.
e. The methods by which the U.S. Government gives
preference in connection with small business, small disadvantaged business, historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) small business, and the service-disabled veteran-owned small
business (SDVOSB) procurement program (see 48 CFR 19.14) are total
set-asides or partial set-asides which limit
competition to certain categories of companies. Another method for
furthering the U.S. Government's objectives for small and small disadvantaged
business participation in acquisitions is by encouraging the use of such
businesses as subcontractors in certain contracts
for more than the simplified acquisition threshold (reference 48 CFR
19.702 and 48 CFR 19.708).
f. Federal agencies have been directed to take
appropriate action to facilitate, preserve and strengthen women's and veterans
business enterprises and to ensure full participation by women and veterans.
There are no specific set-aside programs for women-owned small or veteran-owned
small businesses; however, the programs for small and small disadvantaged
businesses under the Small Business Act are applicable to women-owned small and
veteran-owned small businesses.
14 FAH-2 H-242 ROLE OF THE Contracting
officers representative (COR)
(CT:COR-31; 03-27-2015)
a. Contracting officers representatives (CORs) play an important role in increasing small
business participation. Their actions determine whether small firms will have a
fair opportunity to compete. CORs can improve small business contracting by actions to:
(1) Use minimum
standards and specifications that are clear and concise and which do not unduly
restrict competition;
(2) Establish
solicitation requirements for technical and management proposals that are
consistent with the complexity of the acquisition;
(3) Identify viable
sources through participation in Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization (OSDBU) small business
outreach events and analysis of vendor qualification;
(4) Work with OSDBU to
interview and qualify sources;
(5) Identify and estimate
future procurement requirements in the annual procurement forecast to provide
information to small businesses about upcoming Department acquisitions.
(6) Perform market
research such as vendor outreach and sources sought announcements in the
Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps)
website to identify potential small business sources;
(7) Avoid strategies
that would aggregate requirements such that the bundled requirement would be
unsuitable for small business participation;
(8) Be alert to opportunities
for structuring procurements in discrete portions suitable for small business
participation; and
(9) Treat vendors fairly
during contract performance by being timely and responsive.
b. OSDBU screens
all domestic acquisitions exceeding $150,000 prior to solicitation to determine
if they should be set aside for small or
small disadvantaged businesses. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR
19.502-2) requires that all domestic acquisitions between $3,000 and $150,000
be automatically set aside for small businesses.
14 FAH-2 H-243 THROUGH H-249 UNASSIGNED