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 veteran’s 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 officer’s representative (COR)
(CT:COR-31; 03-27-2015)
a. Contracting officer’s 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