May 14, 2007 - The
revised U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Strategy to Implement the
Service Disabled Veterans Executive
Order (13360), Providing
Opportunities for Service Disabled
Veteran Businesses to Increase
their Contracting and Subcontracting,
was signed by Boyd K. Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Administration
on May 14, 2007. This issuance
replaces USDA's original Strategy
dated February 10, 2005 and reflects
Mr. Rutherford's role as the Designated
Senior-Level Official. This issue
documents USDA's progress to implement
the initiative as well as addresses
additional actions being taken
by USDA to achieve the Service
Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
Goal.
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.
February 26, 2007- Boyd K.
Rutherford, Assistant Secretary
for Administration, Signs Partnership
Agreement with Small Business
Administration (SBA)
The purpose of the Agreement
is to delegate SBA's contract
execution functions to USDA per
the requirements of 13 C.F.R.§
124.501. USDA will determine which
requirements are suitable for
offering to the 8(a) program and
determine with the appropriate
SBA servicing office 8(a) participants
capable of performing these requirements.
Contracting Officers and other
warranted officials who award
8(a) contracts will be informed
of these new responsibilities
that shall include monitoring
contract awards to ensure they
comply with all requirements.
USDA contracting personnel may
view the full text of this Agreement
on the OSDBU intranet site.
February 11, 2007 - Central
Contractor Registration, (CCR)
Home Page has New Look and Feel
- CCR Inquiry, CCR Tools, and
the ccr.gov home page will be
adding new elements and will delete
two Business Types in response
to changes requested by federal
government agencies. Please see
the SBA NAICS Size Standards Release
Notes for further detail.
November 15, 2006 - Rules
Published in the November 15,
2006 Federal Register that take
effect on June 30, 2007
will require companies considered
small for purposes of federal
contracts to recertify their size
status after five years and when
a contract option is exercised
after that. It also will require
recertification in the event of
mergers and acquisitions.
Women-owned
Firms Increase Nearly 20 Percent(PDF;31kb) - Women-owned firms
increased nearly 20 percent over
the latest period studied, according
to a report released by the Office
of Advocacy of the U.S. Small
Business Administration.
September is National Preparedness
Month. Small Businesses should
plan
in advance to manage any
emergency situation
The Electronic Subcontracting
Reporting System (eSRS)
is now THE OFFICIAL site for government
contractors to submit all of their
subcontracting reports for all
civilian federal government contracts.
Hurricane
Contracting Information Center
(HCIC)
The Hurricane Contracting and
Information Center provides a
central point of reference for
businesses, especially Minority-owned
businesses and Small- and Medium-sized
enterprises, to register for and
become aware of federal contracting
opportunities in the Gulf Coast.
While the HCIC does not award
contracts, our mission is to ensure
that businesses understand the
process and are aware when opportunities
become available.
Secretary Johanns signs SECRETARY'S
MEMORANDUM 5090-001 implementing USDA Service
Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
Strategic Initiative.
USDA Office
of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization (OSDBU) - Winner of
Two Prestigious Awards The Federal Gold Star Award
and the Agency Goaling Award of
Excellence, was presented to USDA's
OSDBU, April 26, 2005, during the
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Expo 2005, National Awards Luncheon.
This award recognizes the exemplary
performance of OSDBU personnel,
who have attained or exceeded the
federally mandated small business
goals, that grow small business
capacity and create jobs. Read
more
SBA
Improves HUBZone Program To Help
Small Businesses Create More Jobs
- News
Release In English (pdf; 111kb)
| En
Espanol (pdf; 115kb)
Small
Business Capacity Building Team,
Departmental Administration, Office
of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization, Washington, DC
James E. House, Group Leader
Plow Award received for providing
strong leadership, guidance, and
technical assistance to expand the
number of diverse small businesses
participating in the United States
Department of Agriculture's contracting
opportunities, resulting in increased
small business capacity and job
creation.
Group Members:
Joseph A. Ware, Roger Minami, Belinda
Ward, Michael Spencer, Stella Hughes,
Sherry R. Cohen, Linda J. Epstein,
Debra Lucas, Janet Baylor, Roxanne
Lane, Angela Crews