Question: Does the Army OSBP award contracts?

Answer: No. The vast majority of Army contracts are awarded by Army Buying Activities.

Question: Does Army offer business loans or grants to start or expand a small business?

Answer: Army does not offer loans or grants to begin or expand a small business. For loans, please contact the U.S. Small Business Administration or call 1-800-827-5722.

Question: What is the difference between 8(a) certification and SDB certification?

Answer: The 8(a) program is a business development program that offers a broad scope of assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged firms. SDB certification pertains to benefits in Federal procurement. 8(a) firms automatically qualify for SDB certification (see http://www.sba.gov/ ).

Question: How do I do business with the Army?

Answer: OSBP created the online interactive instructional module 13 Steps to Doing Business with the Army. The 13 steps are designed to assist small businesses with obtaining required certifications/undertake the steps necessary to do business with the Army.

Question: How can I certify my company as a (small, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone) small business?

Answer: The HUBZone, Small Disadvantaged Business, and 8(a) programs require official certification from the Small Business Administration; you must apply for those directly. The remaining categories are self-certifying and no formal certification is required. Self-certification is not questioned until a competitor or other interested party protests.

Question: Who do I contact regarding my goods and/or services?

Answer: Contact your nearest small business specialist. Refer to OSBP’s online Location Map to obtain the contact information for any U.S. Army Small Business Specialists.

Question: How is a small business defined or categorized?

Answer: A small business concern is a business, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on contracts and qualified as a small business under the applicable size standards in 13 CFR Part 121 (FAR 19.102).

The size standard is based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and is currently figured by either dollar revenue or number of employees. Click here to determine your company’s NAICS code(s).

Question: What are NAICS and SIC codes?

Answer: The United States has a new industry classification system, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. NAICS is the first-ever North American industry classification system. The system was developed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to provide comparable statistics across the three countries. For the first time, government and business analysts are able to directly compare industrial production statistics collected and published in the three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries.

Question: What entity established the size standards within a certain industry?

Answer: SBA is responsible for establishing size standards for the different industries in the economy. Click here to determine your company’s size standard. (Additional business size standard information can be obtained from SBA's Office of Size Standards).

Question: How do I find out about upcoming events?

Answer: OSBP posts upcoming events of interest for small business vendors to its online Calendar of Events.

Question: How can I contact a small business specialist in my state?

Answer: Our Location Map includes the contact information for all U.S. Army Small Business Specialists.

Question: What is the role of a small business specialist?

Answer: To act as an advocate to maximize small business opportunities in support of the mission of their organization.

Question: How do I locate a small business in my area?

Answer: To locate a small business in your area, refer to the Central Contractor Registration website.

Question: How can I view the opportunities available within the Army and Department of Defense (DoD) for small businesses?

Answer: The DoD and OSBP link to their procurement forecast opportunities. Visit the DoD Small Business website to learn about Doing Business With DoD and to view DoD’s Subcontracting Opportunities. Also review the Army Small Business Forecast Opportunities online.

Question: Who do I contact if I have questions about my contract?

Answer: For questions about your contract, contact the Contracting Officer assigned to the agency that awarded the contract. Vendors may also contact the small business specialist. Note: Have the contract number available prior to calling the small business specialist!

Question: How can I donate supplies in an emergency situation or during wartime?

Answer: To make donations in an emergency situation or during wartime, you must contact the Department of the Army, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, at (703) 681-7453.

Question: As an IT service company, how can I get business with Army?

Answer: The Army Information Technology E-Commerce Commercial Contracting Center (ITEC4) specializes in procurement of commercially-available IT hardware and services.

Question: How can I obtain assistance or training to prepare bid proposals?

Answer: The Small Business Administration provides valuable information on applicable training resources. Another resource is the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs).