Small Businesses Gain Federal Contracts

By Calvin W. Goings, Region 10 Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration and GSBA Board Member

I am proud to announce that the federal government met its small business federal contracting goal for the first time in eight years.  In Fiscal Year 2013, our government awarded 23.39 percent in federal contracts to small businesses.  That’s $83.1 billion of contracting dollars, according to SBA’s Small Business Procurement Scorecard.

Progress continues in several small business prime contracting categories. The SBA has increased its efforts and collaboration with all federal agencies to broaden opportunities for our small businesses to compete and qualify for federal contracts. The new “Quick Pay” program has accelerated payments from the government to small businesses so small business owners can maintain cash flow to grow their businesses. And, the private sector’s equivalent, “Supplier Pay” program supports small businesses as well.

We all know that when small businesses earn federal contracts, it’s a ‘win-win’ for the federal government and for small businesses, the innovative job creators who fuel the nation’s economy.

As Regional Administrator, my goal is to ensure our small businesses continue to gain federal contracts to expand their opportunities and fuel the American economy. Therefore, you may be asking: what can my small business do to earn a share of federal contracts?

One of the first steps in becoming a government contractor is to determine if your small business qualifies for government contracts on SBA.gov. If your small business qualifies, you will need to register your business with the federal government’s System of Award Management (SAM) website, the primary database of vendors doing business with the federal government.

The SBA offers many additional support programs for America’s small businesses such as:

The SBA 8(a) Business Development Program offers an inclusive and broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled by underserved individuals. This program includes SBA’s Mentor Protégé Program, designed to connect successful firms with 8(a) program participants to establish your small business entrepreneurial success.

The “ChallengeHer Initiative”, a SBA partnership, with Women Impacting Public Policy and American Express Open, provides women a forum for discussion on federal contracting and connects women-owned businesses to increase their small business network.

And, SBA’s SUB-Net is a comprehensive database listing subcontracting opportunities by large prime contractors and other non-federal agencies. This is an excellent and alternative way to gain your share of the federal contracting process.  You can find the list of opportunities at www.sba.gov/content/sub-net.

You can learn more about small businesses and federal contracting through the Government Contracting Classroom which can be found at www.sba.gov/gcclassroom.

The SBA is here to help you, so if you have additional questions after exploring the various SBA tools mentioned above, please contact the Seattle District office at 206-553-7310 for additional resources and counseling.

Inclusion is Good for Business

By Calvin W. Goings, SBA Regional Administrator

Today, there are more than 1.4 million Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) owned small businesses in the United States. These businesses play an important role in our economy and our communities.  And, $790 billion was the estimated buying power of the LGBT population in 2012.  This was a 20% increase in the buying power of the LGBT community from 2006-1012.

As a nation, we proudly recognize June as LGBT Pride Month.  This year’s theme, “Reflections of Pride—Stonewall 45,” commemorates the 45^th anniversary of the events at Stonewall Inn and a movement to demand dignity and equality under the law for LGBT and all Americans.    As stated in President Obama’s proclamation:  As progress spreads from State to State, as justice is delivered in the courtroom, and as more of our fellow Americans are treated with dignity and respect -- our Nation becomes not only more accepting, but more equal as well. With LGBT Pride Month, we celebrate victories that have affirmed freedom and fairness, and we recommit ourselves to completing the work that remains.

At the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), we are working with the LGBT community to spur entrepreneurial activity and to ensure that more LGBT entrepreneurs have the tools and the resources they need to grow successful small businesses and create good jobs.

All across the country we are building on these efforts. We are working closely with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) to ensure that more LGBT-owned businesses have access to SBA programs and services. We recently hosted the first-ever LGBT procurement event, with the U.S. Department of Commerce and 13 agencies, so that businesses can better identify and compete for government contracts.

And, the SBA continues to support the LGBT small business community through educational outreach initiatives such as “Many Faces, One Dream,” which promotes economic empowerment and encourages entrepreneurship within the LGBT community.

America’s small businesses are the engine of our economy. They create two out of three net new private sector jobs. And, today, half of all working Americans either own or work for a small business.

By embracing an inclusive vision of entrepreneurship, one that draws entrepreneurs from all communities, from all demographics and from all backgrounds, we will grow our economy, create good jobs and make America even more globally competitive.

During LGBT Pride Month, we are reminded that America benefits when we draw from the entire spectrum of American diversity--driving innovation and creating a thriving economy in our communities and across our nation.  Together, we can remember an important chapter in this nation’s fight for equality and celebrate our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Learn more about the U.S. Small Business Administration at sba.gov, its Northwest regional office, and follow them on Twitter at @SBAPacificNW