Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2002-8

SUBJECT:Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program (SBCDP) Adjustment of Set-aside Policy

1. Purpose:

This policy release provides bureau and office contracting personnel with updated information regarding the SBCDP.

2. Effective Date:

The instructions contained in this release are applicable to solicitations issued on or after September 23, 2002, and supersede previously issued changes in the Designated Industry Group (DIG) set-aside policy (see DIAPR 2002-03).

3. Expiration Date:

This policy release remains effective unless superseded or canceled.

4. Background and Explanation:

Current policy established by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Small Business Administration calls for participating agencies to monitor attainment of their small business participation goals and make adjustments in set-aside policy on an annual basis (see DIAPR 2000-5).

Accordingly, agencies must analyze procurement activity within their respective "Designated Industry Groups (DIG)" for the most recent complete fiscal year and implement changes in set-aside policy based on this analysis. For the Department of the Interior, the FY 2001 report (see Attachment 1) indicates that the dollar value of awards to small business:

1. Fell below the 35 percent goal in construction SIC code 1622

2. Continued to exceed the 40 percent goal in the refuse collection and relate services group;

3. Fell below the 35 percent goal in architectural and engineering (A-E) services PSCs C113 and C116;

4. Remained below the 35 percent goal in A-E services PSCs C130, C212, C213*, C214, C215, C216*, and C219;

5. Rose above the 35 percent goal in A-E services PSC C111; and

6. Fell below the 40 percent goal in non-nuclear ship repair PSCs J998 and J999.

5. Action Required:

A. Specific. Small Business set-aside policy within the Department is adjusted as follows:

Category/Code	Set-aside Adjustment
Construction SIC Code 1622	The National Park Service (NPS) will reinstate the use of small business set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSC C113 and C116	The NPS will reinstate the use of small business set-asides where possible.
A-E Services PSCs C11 and C214	The NPS will reinstate the use of full and open competition.
A-E Services PSCs 130, C215, and C216*	The NPS will continue the use of set-asides
A-E Services PSC C212	The NPS will continue using set-asides where possible and the FWS will reinstate the use of full and open competition.
A-E Services PSC C213*	The NPS and FWS will continue the use of set-asides.
A-E Services PSC C219	The NPS and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will reinstate the use of full and open competition
Non-nuclear Ship Repair PSCs J998 and J999	The NPS will reinstate the use of small business set-asides where possible.

B.General. Where no instructions are specified above, bureaus and offices listed above shall use full and open competition exclusively for DIG procurements estimated to exceed the "Reserve Amount for Emerging Small Businesses."

Bureaus and offices other than those listed above shall use full and open competition exclusively for all DIG procurements estimated to exceed the "Reserve Amount for Emerging Small Businesses."

Note: The Reserve Amounts are $50,000 for A-E services and $25,000 for the other DIGs.

*Where no data was shown for a particular code in the current IPDS report, the set-aside policy from the previous DIAPR (2002-3) is carried over.

Included in Attachment 1 is a copy of our report on the Targeted Industry Categories (TICs). For your ready reference, Attachment 2 provides a full description of PSCs affected by set-aside policy changes.

Please contact Frank Gisondi, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization ((202)208-4907), if you should have any questions regarding the SBCDP.

Debra E. Sonderman, Director Office of Acquisition and Property Management

Attachments