Can Small Firms Get Stimulus Contracts?
Mar 16th, 2009 | By Dawn R. Rivers | Category: Politics & PolicyLast week, the Contracting and Technology Subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee held a hearing to look into what needs to be done to ensure that small firms get their fair share of contracting awards to be made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The issue is fairly important. Since there is relatively little in the stimulus legislation that directly benefits small and microbusinesses, their best option for profiting from it (as well as improving their receipts in the near term) will be to find contacting opportunities with the federal and state governments.
Small business owner witnesses noted that federal agencies needed to streamline their processes to make them easier to navigate. There needs to be more staff, both at the agencies and at the SBA, dedicated to small business outreach and support, and to helping agencies meet their small business contracting goals. Contract bundling needs to be addressed and prime contractors need to be made accountable for their use and payment of small business subcontractors. It is also interesting that the focus of these hearings is usually on the problems regularly experienced by small business owners who are already successful federal contractors or subcontractors. The real challenge is how the system could be improved so that more small businesses can participate.
