SBAGC kicks off efforts to improve Women-Owned Federal Procurement Opportunities through support of The Women-Owned Small business Act 2024. H.R.9510
Washington, D.C. - September 9, 2024, Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7) introduced H.R.9510 Short title —“Generating Revenue Opportunities for Women-Owned Small Businesses Act of 2024”. The members of the Small Business Alliance of Government Contractors (SBAGC), a joint council of The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce® and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce® kicked off efforts to work towards improvements last March at our annual Hill Day as part of the National Small Business Federal Contracting Summit held every Spring in the DC area.
The bill addresses multiple areas of concerns and will improve access for women-owned small businesses. These improvements include:
Section 3: Women-owned Contracting Vehicle
Provides GSA with the authority to establish and operate a contracting vehicle exclusively for women-owned small businesses. Requires a joint SBA and GSA report to Congress on how they would develop, establish and administer a vehicle prior to exercising the authority.
Section 4: Restrict SBA Goals to Certified WOSB Firms
Requires federal agencies to only count contracts awarded to certified Women-Owned Small Businesses toward their small business procurement goals.
Section 5: Raise the WOSB Goals
Raises the government-wide goal for federal agency spending on contracts with women-owned firms from 5% to 7% and raise the overall small business goal by 2% to accommodate.
Section 6: Training for Federal Agency Procurement Officials
Require SBA to coordinate training on the use of contracting authorities for acquisition personnel at agencies that do not meet their WOSB goal.
Section 7: Report on WOSB Training at the Department of Defense
Requires a one-time report from the Department of Defense on their acquisition workforce training programs and requirements related to the WOSB NAICS codes.
Section 8: Report on WOSB Sole Source Procedures
Requires SBA to report to Congress on federal agencies procedures for direct awards to WOSBs, to include approval processes and authorities, and to make recommendations to streamline.
Section 9: Waive J&A for WOSB Sole Source
Allows contracting officer to waive justification and approval requirements for direct awards to WOSBs.
Section 10: Eliminate Confusing Restrictions on WOSB Sole Source
Eliminates the confusing requirement for direct awards to WOSBs that state contracting officers must have a “reasonable expectation” that two or more smalls will not bid.
Section 11: Add WOSB NAICS Codes to Procurement Forecasts
Requires federal agencies to identify WOSB opportunities by NAICS code in their annual procurement forecasts.
Section 12: List of WOSBs to OSDBUs
Requires SBA to provide federal agency OSDBUs with a list of WOSB firms, with a record of past performance, who have not yet received a set-aside or sole-sourced contract.
Section 13: Industry Days
Requires SBA to convene one industry day and one reverse industry day focused on the WOSB program.
Section 14: Report on the Use of Set-aside Authority
Requires SBA to report annually on the total number of contracts awarded through a WOSB set-aside, and the number of contracts for requirements that are newly set aside for WOSBs.
Section 15: OSDBU Survey on Contracting Authority Use
Requires GAO to survey federal agency OSDBUs on recommended changes to the WOSB program that would boost the use of contracting authorities in their agencies.
Section 16: SBA WOSB Awards Program
Establishes an SBA-administered, government-wide awards program to increase the visibility of leadership for individuals who have made notable contributions to the WOSB program.
Section 17: Parity for WOSBs at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Provides the WOBS program with the same contracting priority with other small business programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Further requires the VA to provide additional information to Congress on the number of female veteran-owned small businesses contracting with the VA.
SBAGC will remain involved and continue efforts to assist in the passage on these regulations. As efforts progress, we will call on our members to get involved. If you would like to help, we urge you to join us.
Working together, we advance opportunities for America’s small business government suppliers.
SBAGC Council Members are comprised of Supplier Level Members of The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce. These two national trade associations work together to leverage our strength and the voices of our members to advance and protect opportunities for America’s small business government suppliers.
ASBCC: Join The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce — as a Federal Supplier Member here.
USWCC: Join the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce — as a USWCC | Supplier Member here.