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Procurement Preference Programs

NRC establishes annual goals for awarding contracts to small, 8(a), disadvantaged, women-owned, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. To help achieve these goals, NRC uses several preference programs authorized under the Federal Acquisition Regulations .

On this page:

Small Business Acquisitions
8(a) Acquisitions
Women-Owned Businesses
Small Disadvantaged Businesses
Historically Underutilized Business Zone
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
Subcontracting

Small Business Acquisitions

Acquisitions between $2500 and $100,000 are set aside for small businesses. Only small businesses are allowed to compete for these contracts. To determine if your firm qualifies as a small business, please review the Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards Web site. NRC's small business procurements valued at greater than $25,000 are usually advertised on the FedBizOpps Web site . FedBizOpps provides information businesses need to know to respond to a procurement requirement. Small businesses should be aware that some requirements, particularly for procurements exceeding $100,000, offer opportunities in which it may be beneficial to team with another company when responding to a solicitation. Other advertised large procurements may present subcontracting possibilities.

8(a) Acquisitions

Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act empowers the SBA to enter into prime contracts with other Federal agencies for goods and services. SBA then subcontracts the work to small businesses that have been certified to participate in the 8(a) program. Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the NRC and the SBA, NRC has been delegated the authority to execute 8(a) contracts on its own behalf. The NRC sets aside certain procurements, valued at $3 million or less, which are offered non-competitively to firms under the 8(a) program. Procurements exceeding $3 million offered to firms under the 8(a) program require competition among 8(a) firms. The NRC Office of Small Business and Civil Rights refers qualified companies from the SBA's PRO-Net (Procurement Marketing and Access Network) and other sources to the Division of Contracts and Property Management for specific procurements. A business interested in becoming an 8(a) contractor can contact SBA at http://www.sba.gov/8abd .

Women-Owned Businesses

Small businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, controlled, and operated by a woman or women meet the women-owned criteria. The NRC sets annual goals for contract awards to women-owned small businesses and actively encourages their participation in procuring NRC business. 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. Information for women business owners can be found at http://www.onlinewbc.gov/ .

Small Disadvantaged Businesses

Firms that have been certified by the SBA as small disadvantaged businesses (SDB) are eligible for certain bidding or evaluation adjustments. For information on how to obtain SDB certification or the specific benefits associated with this program, please review the SDB home page

Historically Underutilized Business Zone

The HUBZone program is a set-aside program for small firms located in designated geographic areas that have been targeted for economic stimulation. These firms must also be certified by the SBA and are eligible for prime and subcontract benefits. For more information on this program, please review the HUBZone home page

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

A service-disabled veteran-owned small business is one which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more service-disabled veterans. The NRC sets goals for this category of small business and attempts to maximize their participation in the procurement process. Additional information about veteran programs may be found at the Small Business Administration

Subcontracting

Firms with large Government contracts are required by Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 19.7 to establish goals for awarding subcontracts to small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses. Specifically, the law requires that each prime contract of $500,000 ($1 million for construction) or more include subcontracting goals and a plan for meeting these goals. Subcontracting opportunities may be found by checking advertised contract awards in FedBizOpps. The Small Business Administration's Subcontracting Network (SUB-Net) provides a place where contractors and subcontractors can post notices of subcontracting opportunities. Small businesses can also review this Web site to identify opportunities in their areas of expertise.