The SBA will make changes to its Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program to help women-owned small businesses get more federal contracts and help the federal government meet and exceed its statutory five percent women’s contracting goal.
How Will the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 Affect Women-Owned Small Businesses?
Prior to the new law, the anticipated award price of a contract for women-owned (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSB) could not exceed $6.5 million for manufacturing contracts and $4 million for all other contracts. The new law removes these thresholds for WOSBs and EDWOSBs allowing them greater access to federal contracting opportunities without limitations or restrictions to the value of a contract.
The law also requires the SBA to conduct another study to identify and report industries underrepresented by women-owned small businesses. As a result, more eligible women-owned businesses may be able to participate in SBA’s Women’s Federal Contract Program and compete for and win federal contracts.
How Do You Know If You Are Eligible for the Women’s Contracting Program?
To be eligible for the program, you must meet the following criteria:
- Your business must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women.
- You must be a U.S. citizen.
- Your business must be considered to be a “small” business according to SBA’s size standards. To view the various size standards for individual industries, take a look at SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards by North American Industry Classifications Systems (NAICS).
- Your business must be “economically disadvantaged”. This is determined by specific financial requirements set forth in SBA’s program regulations.
Third Party Certification and Self-Certification
Every firm that wishes to participate in the WOSB program must meet the eligibility requirements and either self-certify or obtain third party certification. There are four approved third-party certifiers that perform eligibility exams: El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Women Business Owners Corporation, U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Contracting Opportunities for Women-Owned Businesses
The WOSB Program identifies eighty-three four-digit North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) codes where WOSBs are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented. Contracting officers may set aside contracts in these industries if the contract can be awarded at a fair and reasonable price and the contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that two or more WOSBs or EDWOSBs will submit offers for the contract.
This article first appeared on the U.S. Business Administration website.