woman owned business | The Contracting Education Academy

March 25, 2016 By AMK

COs told to check with SBA on WOSB certifications

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced on its website that for the next “several weeks” federal Contracting Officers (COs) will need to check with the SBA to verify self-certifications submitted by women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) competing for contract set-asides.

The reason for this temporary change is a planned migration of WOSB records from SBA’s General Login System (GLS) repository to a new portal to be located at https://certify.sba.gov.

SBA says that the on-line repository where WOSBs have been uploading ownership and control documentation has been inactivated. SBA’s notice indicates that the WOSB repository will be replaced within “several weeks” by a new portal that will support the WOSB program.

The new portal is located at https://certify.sba.gov however, as of March 25, the website is marked: “This site is a work in progress.”

SBA’s existing rules stipulate that small businesses interested in responding to a solicitation set aside for WOSBs must first submit a checklist of certification documentation. Once certification uploads are submitted, Contracting Officers are responsible for checking the repository to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

During the period where the new portal is not fully functional, it is unclear how WOSBs that have not previously uploaded their certification documentation will satisfy the 13 CFR 127.300(e) certification requirements.

Until SBA’s new portal is fully functional, the SBA is directing Contracting Officers to contact the SBA to request verification of self-certification compliance by specific WOSBs.

The instructions SBA has issued are as follows:

SBA will review the Repository on behalf of a CO. A CO may request that SBA review the Repository on their behalf by sending an email to wosb@sba.gov(link sends e-mail) with the following in the subject line:

“PENDING AWARD UNDER FAR 19.505(e) VERIFICATION REQUEST- SOLICITATION NUMBER [insert solicitation number].”

In the body of the email, the CO should provide the following: provide the apparent successful offeror’s DUNS, EIN, FIRM NAME, OWNER NAME; indicate whether the pending award is a WOSB or EDWOSB set-aside or sole source award; specify the NAICS code assigned to the procurement; and identify the State where the CO is located. Within 2 business days, SBA will perform the necessary check to determine whether the apparently successful offeror has filed all the required eligibility documents and provide the CO with an email response which either: (a) notifies the CO that all required documents have been provided or (b) identifies which documents are missing in order to allow the CO to file a status protest in accordance with SBA regulations and the FAR.

Emails for this information will be processed only for Contracting Officers.

More information on the WOSB program and the features of the new portal can be found at: https://www.sba.gov/content/women-owned-small-business-program.

September 14, 2015 By AMK

SBA rule authorizes sole source awards to WOSBs and EDWOSBs

The Small Business Administration (SBA) published a rule today (Sept. 14, 2015) allowing sole source awards to Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) or Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSBs) in appropriate circumstances.

The new rule changes existing SBA regulations in order to conform to section 825 of the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The rule is effective October 14, 2015. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) will need to be amended to include the sole source authority so that there is no conflict between the SBA’s rules and the FAR.

The sole source authority can only be used where a contracting officer (CO) conducts market research in an industry where a WOSB or EDWOSB set-aside is authorized, and the CO cannot identify two or more WOSBs or EDWOSBs that can perform at a fair and reasonable price, but identifies one WOSB or EDWOSB that can perform. In addition, the sole source authority for WOSBs and EDWOSBs is limited to contracts valued at $6.5 million or less for manufacturing contracts and $4 million or less for all other contracts.

The rule is published in the Federal Register at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/09/14/2015-22927/women-owned-small-business-federal-contract-program#h-16

August 31, 2015 By AMK

Academy to host U.S. Women’s Chamber meeting in Atlanta on Sept. 16th

Following a successful Georgia chapter kick-off event in June, the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce returns to the Georgia Tech campus on Sept. 16, 2015 with a special event — Growth Masters™.

Growth Masters™ is a community of individuals who are committed to actively owning their opportunities; confidently and capably leveraging resources to achieve financial, business, career, leadership and personal growth.

The Sept. 16th event will be a brown bag lunch meeting highlighting and focusing on success strategies to help women-owned businesses grow their firms through education and dialogue. NOTE: This meeting has been converted to a webinar. To register, please visit: https://uswcc.org/events/uswcc-atlanta-presents-growth-masters-2015-09/

Guest speaker at the September event will be Crystal Blackwell. She is President and Chief Executive Officer of Staffing One, Inc. Ms. Blackwell is also Chief Executive Officer of Human Capital Management, Inc., a direct hire firm, and Blackwell Capital, LLC, both Atlanta-based firms. Staffing One began operations in Atlanta in 1996 and currently provides Administrative, Accounting, Legal and Engineering staffing services in 13 states in the Southeastern U.S. Ms. Blackwell has over 30 years of staffing services experience. She has also marketed staffing services in the Boston and New York markets.

The September meeting of the Georgia chapter of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is being hosted by the Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech.

Agenda

11:00 am – Registration & Networking

11:30 am – Guest Expert Presentation

12:30 pm – Discussion on personal and group strategies for growth

1:00 pm – Adjourn

Location

~~75 Fifth Street, NW, 3rd Floor – Hodges Room, Atlanta, GA 30308~~

Registration Details

To register to attend this event, please click here.

Attendance is complimentary for USWCC/Supplier Members; $15 for USWCC/Business Members; $40 for USWCC/Advocate and Individual Members and Non-Members.

Not a member? Join the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce as a Business or Supplier Member and save on this and future meetings and activities.

June 9, 2015 By AMK

Georgia Tech hosting Atlanta Women’s Economic Summit on June 24

“Driving Opportunities and Influence” is the theme of an event being held in Atlanta on June 24, 2015 by the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) and hosted by Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy.

The event is an effort on the part of the USWCC to work with the women of Atlanta to advance economic opportunities and influence.

“Working together,” states USWCC CEO Margot Dorfman, “we will gain a good understanding of our current economic position, centers of influence within the region and steps we can take together to drive progress. Please join us and be part of a strong economic future for women in Atlanta — and across the U.S.”

CEO Dorfman and Co-Founder Terry Williams will lead the Atlanta Women’s Economic Summit.

Agenda items on the morning of June 24 include: Women’s Economic Priorities, State of the State of Georgia Women in Business, Finding Centers of Influence for Economic Development, Tapping in to Secure Business Opportunities, Driving Opportunities and Influence, Success Strategies, and Cornerstones for the Future – Taking the Lead. The event concludes after a lunch break, with a discussion of Opportunities and Strategic Planning for Those Interested in Leadership.

This summit will be held in Technology Square in Midtown Atlanta at the Centergy Building, 75 Fifth St, NW, Atlanta, GA 30308.

Pre-registration is required, and is open to USWCC members and non-members alike. Registration may be accomplished at: https://uswcc.org/events/atlanta-womens-economic-summit.

January 23, 2013 By AMK

Defense Act causes SBA to lift dollar limits on WOSB set-asides

Women-owned small businesses will have greater access to federal contracting opportunities as a result of changes included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA) to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program.

“This new law is a prime example of how the Obama Administration is embracing a more inclusive view of entrepreneurship, helping small businesses and America succeed,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “Today, women own 30 percent of all small businesses up from just 5 percent 40 years ago. As one of the fastest growing sectors of small business owners in the country, opening the door for women to compete for more federal contracts is a win-win.”

The NDAA removes the anticipated award price of the contract thresholds for women-owned small businesses (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSB) to allow them greater access to federal contracting opportunities without limitations to the size of the contract. Prior to the new law, the anticipated award price of the contract for women-owned and economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses could not exceed $6.5 million for manufacturing contracts and $4 million for all other contracts.

The Women’s Federal Contract Program allows contracting officers to set aside specific contracts for certified WOSBs and EDWOSBs and will help federal agencies achieve the existing statutory goal of five percent of federal contracting dollars being awarded to WOSBs.

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.

These changes have not yet taken effect. The SBA is working with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy under the President’s Office of Management and Budget on the implementation including changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

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. Additional information and links about approved third-party certifiers are available at www.sba.gov/wosb. To qualify as a WOSB, a firm must be at least fifty-one percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens and the firm must be considered small according to SBA size standards. To be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” a firm’s owners must meet specific financial requirements set forth in the program regulations.

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.

For more information on the Women-Owned Small Business Program or to access the instructions, applications or database, please visit www.sba.gov/wosb.