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The Acquisition Services Directorate is an organization committed to the small business community. Beginning with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), there has been continuous executive leadership for the small business program. Our belief in small business carries over into our culture – to embrace the small business environment wholeheartedly.
As an acquisition line of business within the U.S. Department of the Interior, we have shown through our outreach and analysis, an overall foundation that supports, educates, and rewards small business contractors. We believe there is direct correlation between our small business focus and the results of small business contract awards in our organization in excess of 45%.
To contact us, please send an email to our small business team.
Small Business News
Small business news articles are included in this section. A select number of trade publications contain procurement related sections within their electronic newsletters and magazines. These are highly recommended for review by the small business community.
Small Business Goals
The Business and Economic Development Plan (BEDP) goals are closely tracked and monitored at the Acquisition Services Directorate. Each year, these goals are negotiated with the OSDBU and the Small Business Administration. It is important to note that all Franchise Fund dollar award credits are returned to the funding agency. For example, if a $1 million award is made to a small, woman-owned business through a competition posted on FedBizOpps and the Department of Agriculture is the client, the Department of Agriculture would receive the award credit. Credits are rerouted through the Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation.
BEDP Goals for Fiscal Year 2009, 2008, and 2007
| Small Business |
55% |
50% |
50% |
35% |
45% |
42% |
| SDB Program |
15% |
15% |
18% |
12% |
18% |
10% |
| 8(a) Program |
7% |
12% |
9% |
12% |
9% |
11% |
| HUBZone |
3% |
0% |
3% |
1% |
5% |
1% |
| Woman-owned |
7% |
14% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
5% |
| Service-Disabled Veteran |
3% |
1% |
3% |
2% |
3% |
2% |
Source: Department of the Interior and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, through July 2009.
The majority of awards through the Acquisition Services Directorate are for other agencies, however, the captured data above represents only the DoI funded requirements.
Small Business FAQs
1. How can I get business with the Acquisition Services Directorate?
The Acquisition Services Directorate competes 70% of the opportunities for contracts through vehicles such as GSA schedules or other government-wide acquisitions contracts (GWACs). An estimated 20% of opportunities are posted in FedBizOpps. Another 10% are attributable to 8(a) direct awards, competitive 8(a) awards, and client-driven sole source justifications. The Acquisition Services Directorate open market solicitations are also posted on this website, and vendors can sign up for solicitation email alerts.
2. If I'm a small business and I introduce the Acquisition Services Directorate to my customer, what's the next step?
We appreciate introductions and will include vendor companies as a suggested source for a proposal. It is important that clients make known from whom they would like to receive proposals. For example, if a product can be purchased through GSA schedule, and two companies could respond according to research, you and the other company could compete. If only you respond, you could receive the award. If you are not on a schedule, and would need to partner with another company to compete, that could be made known to you.
If you are an 8(a), service-disabled veteran, woman-owned, or HUBZone company, there are other rules that could apply to the acquisition in question. For further discussion, please e-mail the Acquisition Services Directorate small business team or call 703.964.8800 to set up an appointment to discuss small business contracting.
3. Do you have different rules as an "outside" contracting office?
The Acquisition Services Directorate, like all other Federal contracting environments is guided by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The Acquisition Services Directorate has warranted Contracting Officers who have experience throughout the vast array of all Federal agencies and the Department of Defense (DoD).
As you may know, individual agencies or military services can give further restrictive guidance than what is stated in the FAR. For example, we follow DoD guidelines, and will use contract clauses to reflect DoD requirements.
4. I am new to the world of Federal Government contracting. Where do I start?
Go to our resources page within this website, and utilize the web links posted to help you. Once you have decided where in the Federal Government that you wish to focus, and the skill sets that you offer are defined, reach out to Small Business Specialists that are available to speak to you in every agency. The process is lengthy, tiring, but rewarding. Conferences on Small Business contracting will also help you as you begin the journey. And, the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers will assist one-to-one.
For more information on small business utilization, please visit the Small Business News page.
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