GSA To Honor Contracting Officers for Commitment to Small Business

GSA #9368

December 4, 1996
Contact: Steve Guiheen

To celebrate its record-breaking year in contracting with small, minority, and women-owned businesses, the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Enterprise Development will honor individuals and procurement team members from across the country with the first Small Business Access Awards.

The awards recognize exceptional efforts to increase access to contracts that GSA awards to these businesses. They will be presented at a ceremony in the GSA auditorium, 1800 F St., NW, Washington, DC, on Friday, December 13 between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

"We are proud to honor GSA's contracting officers whose dedication has paved the way for small, minority, and women business owners to receive contracts and compete effectively in the Federal marketplace," said Dietra L. Ford, GSA's Associate Administrator for Enterprise Development.

David J. Barram, GSA's Acting Administrator, will speak about the agency's commitment to small business, and Philip Lader, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will deliver the keynote address.

In Fiscal Year 1996, GSA awarded more than $2.9 billion in contracts to small businesses out of total agency awards of $6.2 billion. Minority firms received contracts worth more than $700 million, of which $484 million went to 8(a) firms and $220 million to other small disadvantaged businesses. Awards to women-owned businesses totaled nearly $200 million.

Honorees come from all of GSA's principal business lines--the Federal Supply Service, Public Buildings Service, and Federal Telecommunications Service--and from the Office of Management Services and Human Resources. Regional procurement staff also are being recognized.