The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)
was created as part of the Small Business Act, as amended by Public
Laws 95-507 and 100-507. Every Federal agency is required to have
an OSDBU, which, by statute, reports directly to the head of the
agency. The primary responsibility of the OSDBU is to ensure that
small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses and women-owned
businesses are treated fairly and that they have an opportunity
to compete and be selected for a fair amount of the agency's contract
dollars. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is
committed to ensuring that small businesses, small disadvantaged
businesses and women-owned businesses participate fully in HUD direct
and indirect contract dollars.
The
Federal government has a federal agency-wide mandatory goal of contracting
23% of its prime contracts with small businesses. Within this goal,
there is a goal of 5% for contracting with small disadvantaged businesses
and Women-Owned Small Businesses; and a 3% goal for contracting
with HUBZones and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses.
In fiscal year 2002, HUD contracted 38% of its procurement dollars
to small businesses, including 19% to small disadvantaged businesses
and 21% to women-owned businesses. For a status report of HUD small
business contracting over the past few years, refer to the section
on Small Business Contracting Goals and Accomplishments.
The
role of the OSDBU as ombudsman for small business is spelled out
in a letter to the heads of all Federal agencies, from the Director
of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP). Contents of
this OFPP letter as well as a synopsis of all legislation and Executive
Orders governing the operation of the OSDBU are included in OSDBU
Legislative Mandates.
Check
the HUD Contracting Home Page to
review a contacting guide for small
businesses. The guide discusses what HUD does and buys, Procurement
Opportunity Programs, marketing tips and other information of value
to our the business community. The HUD Contracting home page provides
direct links to the Small Business Administration and the OSDBUs
and contracting pages of other Federal agencies.
Small businesses can also access the subcontracting
opportunities page to view subcontracting opportunities.
A major OSDBU initiative is outreach to small, small disadvantaged
and women-owned businesses. The OSDBU staff responds to letters,
phone inquiries and e-mail messages answering basic questions and
providing information on HUD contracting opportunities. Also, the
staff attends and exhibits at small business conferences, makes
presentations on small business contracting opportunities and provides
one-on-one guidance to conference participants. While the majority
of contracting information is included on the HUD website, the OSDBU
staff also attempts to maintain a dialogue with trade associations,
small business associations and small business, women-owned and
minority chambers of commerce through periodic mailings which inform
them of upcoming procurement opportunities and events which impact
on small business.
OSDBU also lists conferences and workshops it plans to attend on
its OSDBU Events Section so
that interested parties have a chance to discuss HUD contracting
opportunities.
The
OSDBU also serves as the Department's central referral point for
small business regulatory compliance information and as required
by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996
(SBREFA). The SBREFA requires Federal agencies to make available
to small businesses compliance guides which, "in plain English",
explain government regulations which impact small businesses and
to provide assistance on the implementation of regulations and directives
the Department administers. HUD's SBREFA
program includes a discussion as to how HUD will comply with
the law and explains how it will use the Internet as a means of
assisting small businesses who require assistance. For information
on the Small Business Administration's implementation of the program
nationally, check the SBA
Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman Home Page.
In
addition to ensuring that small businesses have an opportunity to
compete for a fair share of HUD contracts, the OSDBU wants to ensure
that small businesses, minority businesses and women-owned businesses
are aware of the contracting opportunities available as a result
of the funds the Department grants to state and local government
agencies and public housing authorities. These agencies receive
up to $10 billion in funds annually which may be subsequently contracted
out. The OSDBU staff can provide information on these funds and
how to market to these agencies. For a list of local governments,
which receive Community Development Block Grants, check Formula
Allocations. For a list of Public Housing Agencies, which receive
operating and construction grants, check
Public
Housing Agencies. To learn more about HUD programs, check HUD
Programs.
Check the staff list for names, address,
phone numbers and e-mail address if you wish to contact the HUD
OSDBU staff.
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