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.
The Department of
Defense Computer/Electronic
Accommodations Program
(CAP) has announced
that the Department
of Agriculture is
the recipient of the
CAP Achievement Award
for Fiscal Year 2006.
This award is provided
to USDA for our impact
on increasing employment
and accessibility
for people with disabilities.
CAP depends on partners
at the Department
level to ensure accommodations
are being provided
to increase employment,
access and opportunities
for federal employees
with disabilities.
The award will be
presented to TARGET
Director Bruce McFarlane
at the CAP Annual
Training and Awards
program scheduled
for November 1st at
the Department of
Labor.
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, their
mission is to ensure
that businesses understand
the process and are
aware when opportunities
become available.