GSA Makes the Grade on Small Business Efforts

Agency receives top marks on measured small business goals

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) continues to exceed small business goals according to the Small Business Administration's (SBA) recently released small business scorecard for Fiscal Year 2012. This marks the second year in a row that GSA has received an A+ on the SBA scorecard. The grading system is part of SBA's government-wide small business scorecard, which measures how well each agency performs in reaching their small business and socioeconomic prime contracting and subcontracting goals. Additionally, the scorecard provides accurate and transparent contracting data and reports agency-specific progress.

"Expanding opportunities for small businesses is central to delivering the best value for government and the American people," said Acting Administrator Dan Tangherlini. "The A+ grade is a testament to GSA's commitment to expand opportunities for the small business community, including businesses owned by veteran, women, minority, and disadvantaged entrepreneurs."

GSA awarded $1.3 billion to small business in Fiscal Year 2012, representing nearly 40 percent of eligible contract dollars, exceeding the agency's 30 percent goal and all prime contracting subcategory goals.  Over the last couple months, GSA has doubled down on its efforts to expand opportunities for small businesses by hosting critical small business training and matchmaking sessions around the country, strategic sourcing efforts that support small businesses while saving the government $200 million on purchases of common office supplies through strategic sourcing, and awarding more than $21 million to small business across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. To date, GSA's Rocky Mountain region has awarded $56 million to small businesses and since October 2012, more than $61 million in new contracts have been awarded to small businesses within the Pacific Rim Region.

Innovative small business outreach efforts helped the agency exceed its goals. The Office of Small Business Utilization broadened outreach to small businesses, launching a new workshop series to help business owners learn more about federal opportunities. The agency also uses social media to promote awareness of small business training opportunities and policy updates. To improve subcontracting performance, GSA conducted training for the acquisition workforce and increased prime contractor accountability by conducting subcontracting compliance reviews with SBA.

SOURCE U.S. General Services Administration