Welcome to
the Office of
Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization
(OSDBU)
USDA's Office
of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization
(OSDBU) was established
June 26, 1979
pursuant to Public
Law (P.L.) 95-507,
which assigned
it the task of
fostering the
use of small,
disadvantaged
and women-owned
businesses as
federal contractors.
The Mission:
to provide maximum
opportunities
for small businesses
to participate
in USDA contracting
activities.
The Vision:
to work proficiently
to ensure a dynamic,
diverse, and reliable
small vendor pool
for the Department.
The U.S.
Department of
Agriculture
Wins 2007 Small
Business Administration
Gold Star
Award
Each year since
1963, the President
has issued a
proclamation
calling for
the celebration
of Small Business
Week. National
Small Business
Week recognizes
outstanding
small business
owners for their
personal successes
and contributions
to our Nations
economy.
President George
W. Bush proclaimed
the week of
April 22-28,
2007, as Small
Business Week.
The U.S. Small
Business Administration
(SBA) presents
awards to those
businesses and
federal agencies
that have excelled
in various aspects
of federal procurement.
This year, SBA
presented the
2007 prestigious
Gold Star Award
for Excellence
to the U.S.
Department of
Agriculture
(USDA) for its
exemplary performance.
Assistant Secretary
for Administration
Boyd Rutherford
accepted the
award on behalf
of USDA. USDAs
aggressive goals
for small business
contracting
resulted in
USDA awarding
50 percent of
its $4 billion
annual procurements
to small businesses.
USDA also exceeded
its contracting
goals for small,
small disadvantaged,
HUBZone, and
women-owned
businesses.
This award
is a tribute
to the USDA
procurement
community working
in concert with
program offices
to expand USDAs
ability to achieve
and/or exceed
small business
goals. USDAs
continued commitment
to broadening
small business
access to contract
opportunities
stimulates small
business ownership
and economic
growth, creates
jobs, and results
in improving
the quality
of life across
America.