What the Department of Labor Buys

VI. Special Assistance

If you are a small, small socioeconomically disadvantaged, woman-owned, or labor-surplus areas business, you may receive special consideration in obtaining DOL business. This is based on the recognition that special consideration should be directed toward certain business entities in the economy to assure that these businesses are afforded a fair opportunity to participate in government contracting activities. Thus, DOL program mangers and contracting officers are responsible for actively seeking out and identifying suitable acquisition opportunities to involve qualified firms in the small business community.

A. Small Business-Small Purchase Set-Asides
B. Small Business Set-asides
C. Section 8(a) Program
D. Women-owned Business
E. Small Business Innovative Research
F. Acquisition Forecast

Small Business-Small Purchase Set-Asides

The Small Business Act as amended by Public Law 99-661, and the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act require that proposed acquisitions with an expected value of $50,000 or less, be reserved exclusively for small business concerns whenever it is determined that competitive offers may be obtained from two or more responsive and responsible small business sources. In order to assist the small business community in identifying available solicitations between $10,000 and $25,000, it is the DOL policy that notice of such proposed actions be posted near the OSBMA or the appropriate contracting office. Competitive requirements are also announced in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD).

Small Business Set-Asides

For procurement in excess of $50,000, the contracting officer may limit competition on certain potential contracts for award to qualified small businesses whenever there is reasonable expectation that sufficient responses will be received to ensure adequate competition. Small business set-asides are designed to prevent small firms from having to compete with large businesses, and are based on small business size standards as determined, on an industry-by-industry basis, by the SBA. All small business set-asides are announced in the CBD.

Section 8(a) Program

Section 8(a) of the Small business act authorizes the SBA to enter into prime contracts with other Federal agencies and then subcontract the actual performance of the contract to firms certified by SBA to receive 8(a) awards.

The Section 8(a) Program is designed to enable eligible small socially and economically disadvantaged firms to become able and competitive and able to survive on their own initiative. Competition among 8(a) concerns for potential awards valued at less than $3 million ($5 million for manufacturing) is limited, and thus, not announced in the CBD. Interested 8(a) firms must do their own marketing to identify potential awards. However, potential actions expected to exceed the $3 million (or $5 million) threshold are competitive and are announced in the CBD for exclusive participation of firms within the section 8(a) program. The Department supports utilization of 8(a) businesses in its procurement activities.

Women-Owned Businesses

Government regulations require executive agencies to take affirmative action to create or support programs to meet the special needs of women-owned businesses and to ensure their full participation in government contraction. The Department collects and disseminates information on women-owned businesses and actively encourages their participation in existing business opportunities. While there is no set-aside program for this group, eligible women-owned businesses are invited to participate in both 8(a) and small business set-asides.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

Public Law 97-219 created the Small Business Innovation Research Program under which each Federal agency with a research budget in excess of $100 million must establish an SBIR Program. The program is to provide small high-technology businesses the opportunity to participate in federal research and development activity. The DOL research budget does not meet the dollar threshold, thus, DOL does not participate in the SBIR Program. Inquiries concerning the SBIR Program should be directed to the Small Business Administration, Office of Innovations, Research, and Technology, 409 Third Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20416.

In addition to the special assistance described in this section, all small, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and women owned businesses are invited to participate in the DOL fully competitive contract activities. All such requirements are announced in the CBD.

Acquisition Forecast

Public Law 100-656 requires each Executive agency reporting to the Federal Procurement Data System contract actions with an aggregate value in excess of $50 million, to prepare, for the succeeding fiscal year, a forecast of expected contract opportunities which small and small socioeconomically disadvantaged businesses are capable of performing. Inquiries relating to the forecast should be directed to one of the small business specialist in the Office of Small Business Programs.