Posted by Kristin Oberlander - This post is the second in a four-part series on the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act, signed into law last month. The following is a summary of the increased federal contracting provisions within the law. [Hat tip: Small Business Administration]
- Equal Treatment across Federal Contracting Programs - The law reaffirms "parity" among federal small business contracting programs. Contracting officers will be free to choose among businesses owned by women and service-disabled veterans, as well as those participating in HUBZone and 8(a) programs, and soon the women’s contracting program when conducting contracts that are set-aside for small business.
- Better Playing Field for Small Businesses — more accountability, integrity, transparency - The law gives agency procurement officers more ability to provide both large prime contracts and mircocontracts to small businesses. The law makes it harder for agencies to "bundle" contracts, a practice that often takes opportunities away from small business. The law also has stronger enforcement so agencies will be held more accountable for reaching small business goals. It enforces stronger subcontracting plan requirements for large prime contractors to ensure small businesses are utilized in subcontracting. It also discourages late payments to small subcontractors. It enforces SBA’s continuing efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse. Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, will have more ability to vigorously pursue companies that win contracts by misrepresenting their small business status.
- Small Business Teaming Opportunities - The law provides $25 million for a new pilot that provides grants that will help small businesses team up with each other to compete for larger and more complex federal government contracts.
Tune in for part 3, tomorrow, on tax relief measures. To read the entire list of small biz provisions in the Jobs Act, visit http://www.sba.gov/jobsact/.