Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Investing in the Future Means Investing in Small Business
May 10, 2011 - Calling them “indispensible to our nation’s economic recovery,” National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Thomas P. D’Agostino today highlighted the Department of Energy’s and NNSA’s commitment to small businesses during remarks to the DOE’s Annual Small Business Conference & Expo.
In remarks titled “Investing in the Future Means Investing in Small Businesses,” Administrator D’Agostino noted that small businesses create about 2 of every 3 new jobs in America each year, and that more than half of working Americans own or work for a small business. For NNSA, Administrator D’Agostino said “small business is good business” because small business contracting helps reduce overhead costs and “helps us be more efficient in the use of taxpayer dollars.”
View his full remarks here: http://nnsa.energy.gov/mediaroom/speeches/smallbusinessspeech51011
Obama Adminstration Announces Launch of i6 Green Challenge to Promote Clean Energy Innovation and Economic Growth
March 10, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Energy joined with the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and its Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship today to announce the opening of the $12 million i6 Green Challenge, which will also be conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The funding will support awards for six teams around the country with the most innovative ideas to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in support of a green innovation economy, increased U.S. competitiveness and new jobs. The Department of Energy will invest up to $2 million to support the $12 million multi-agency i6 Green Challenge, which will establish or expand Proof of Concept Centers across the U.S. In order to be eligible for DOE funding, applicants will be required to demonstrate innovation in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, or green building technology.
“Investments in small business innovation through the i6 Green Challenge will play an important role in strengthening U.S. competitiveness and supporting economic development and job growth around the country. These centers will help companies test their innovations, a critical step in commercializing next generation clean energy technologies,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
“Initiatives like the i6 Green Challenge support the President’s vision for out-innovating the rest of the world by moving great ideas from the lab to the marketplace to spur the development of 21st century jobs and industries,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “We know that in the last 30 years, nearly all net new jobs were created by startups, and they will continue to play a critical role in our nation’s economic prosperity.”
First announced at the White House launch of Startup America in January, i6 Green follows last year’s inaugural i6 Challenge to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship in the United States.
“The $12 million i6 Green Challenge is an important component of President Obama’s Startup America initiative to promote American innovation and win the future,” said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra. “The multi-agency competition builds on the success of last year’s initiative by encouraging Proof of Concept Centers and promoting green growth to increase our nation's competitiveness and accelerate the economic recovery.”
This year's competition focuses on promoting Proof of Concept Centers, which support all aspects of the entrepreneurship process, from assisting with technology feasibility and business plan development, to providing access to early-stage capital and mentors to offer critical guidance to innovators. Centers allow emerging technologies to mature and demonstrate their market potential, making them more attractive to investors and helping entrepreneurs turn their idea or technology into a business.
“The i6 Green Challenge will help catalyze American ingenuity by leveraging the proven benefits that these centers offer to promote green growth, advance cluster development and strengthen the economic ecosystems of America's regions,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez said.
The Federal Funding Opportunity notice and application information on i6 Green is available at www.eda.gov/i6. The deadline to submit an application is May 26, 2011. Funding is contingent upon Congressional approval of the administration’s 2011 budget.
Business Opportunity Session (BOS) & Women's History Month
March 9, 2011 - The DOE OSDBU hosted a Business Opportunity Session (BOS) in celebration of Women's History Month on Thursday, March 3, 2011. Click on the image below to download information and presentations from our most recent BOS event.
President Obama to Host Winning the Future Forum on Small Business in Cleveland
February 15, 2011 - On Tuesday, February 22, the President and members of his cabinet will travel to Cleveland, Ohio, where the White House will convene a Winning the Future Forum on Small Business in association with Cleveland State University and northeast Ohio economic development organizations JumpStart and NorTech. In his State of the Union address, President Obama spoke of the need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build our competitors in order to sustain our leadership and secure prosperity for all Americans. The Forum will be an opportunity for the President and his economic team to hear directly from small business owners and leaders about their ideas for how America can continue to grow the economy, put Americans back to work, and win the future.
More details on the President’s trip and the Forum – including media credentialing information – will be released as they become available.
SBA Announces Contracting Program for Women-Owned Small Businesses
First Contracts Expected to be Awarded through WOSB Program
By Critical Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2011
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Release Date: February 1, 2011
Contact: Tiffani Clements (202) 401-0035
Release Number: 11-09
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
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WASHINGTON – Women-owned small businesses can begin taking steps to participate in a new federal contracting program on Friday, Feb. 4, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced today. The new Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program will be fully implemented over the next several months, with the first contracts expected to be awarded by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011.
“Implementing the Women-Owned Small Business contracting rule has been a top priority for the Obama Administration and SBA,” said Administrator Karen Mills. “Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. As we continue to look to small businesses to grow, create jobs and lead America into the future, women-owned businesses will play a key role. That’s why providing them with all the tools necessary to compete for and win federal contracts is so important. Federal contracts can provide women-owned small businesses with the oxygen they need to take their business to the next level.”
The WOSB Federal Contract Program will provide greater access to federal contracting opportunities for WOSBs and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs). The Program allows contracting officers, for the first time, to set aside specific contracts for certified WOSBs and EDWOSBs and will help federal agencies achieve the existing statutory goal of five percent of federal contracting dollars being awarded to WOSBs.
On Feb. 4, SBA will release instructions on how to participate in the program, as well as launch the secure, online data repository for WOSBs to upload required documents, on its website: www.sba.gov/wosb. SBA will also release an application to become an SBA-approved third party certifier for this program on that date. This will be the first version of the application. SBA welcomes comments and suggestions on this first version of the application.
During the ramp up period over the next several months, SBA is encouraging small business owners to review program requirements and ensure their required documents are uploaded to the repository. WOSBs also will need to update their status in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the Online Representation and Certification Application (ORCA) to indicate to contracting officers that they are eligible to participate. The General Services Administration is currently updating these systems and they are expected to be completed in April, 2011.
Similarly, the WOSB rule in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which is the companion to the SBA rule, is now going through final review, and is also expected to be issued by April. With these pieces in place, SBA expects to see the first contracts awarded through the program by the all-important fourth quarter, when the largest percent of federal contracts are awarded.
Every firm that wishes to participate in the WOSB program must meet the eligibility requirements and either self-certify or obtain third party certification. At this time, SBA has not approved any third party certifiers. Regardless of their certification method, WOSBs must also upload required documents proving their eligibility to a secure online data repository developed and maintained by SBA.
To qualify as a WOSB, a firm must be at least fifty-one percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens and the firm must be considered small according to SBA size standards. To be deemed “economically disadvantaged”, a firm’s owners must meet specific financial requirements set forth in the program regulations.
The WOSB Program identifies eighty-three four-digit North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) codes where WOSBs are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented. Contracting officers may set aside contracts in these industries if the contract can be awarded at a fair and reasonable price, the contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that two or more WOSBs or EDWOSBs will submit offers for the contract and the anticipated contract price is not greater than $5 million for manufacturing contracts and $3 million for other contracts.
Each stage of implementation is part of SBA’s mission to make the Program efficient and user-friendly, and to ensure its benefits go only to qualifying WOSBs. SBA is excited to launch this new program to provide WOSBs with increased opportunities to compete for and win federal contracts, ultimately helping WOSBs create and retain more jobs.
For more information on the Women-Owned Small Business Program or to access the instructions, applications or database, please visit www.sba.gov/wosb.
The Small Business Conference Small Businesses Don’t Want to Miss
December 14, 2010 - Alice Hwang has a lot on her plate. As the CEO and CFO of Advanced Technologies and Laboratories International, Inc. (ATL), a 150 employee technical and management consulting firm located in Germantown, Maryland, Ms. Hwang oversees her company’s budget, manages projects and technical activities, and directs the financial, accounting, human resources, and IT infrastructure needed to keep the company running and growing.
As a small business owner, Ms. Hwang is accustomed to finding creative solutions to address multiple challenges. The small businesses and the entrepreneurs who run them know how to tap into the resources around them to grow and develop their companies. One such resource that Ms. Hwang has been utilizing year after year is the Department of Energy’s Annual Small Business Conference & Expo.
Ms. Hwang explained, “I started attending the Department of Energy’s conference from the very beginning. I go every year to get to know the other players in the Energy Department contracting area, and to find out upcoming procurement opportunities.”
This year, Ms. Hwang will be attending the 12th Annual Small Business Conference, on May 10 – 12, 2011, in Kansas City, Missouri. For three days, Ms. Hwang and other attendees will meet with DOE prime contractors, DOE representatives, small business program managers, and minority educational institutions, to discuss the ins and outs of doing business with the Department of Energy. Workshops, keynotes, exhibitors, and networking opportunities have kept Ms. Hwang coming back to the conference for nearly eleven years.
Registration for the 12th Annual Conference & Expo is set to open on December 15. Attendees can expect a packed conference hall. Last year’s attendance was an all-time high, with over 1,500 entrepreneurs, as well as all levels of federal, state, and local government agencies, large/prime contractors, small businesses, minority education institutions and more.
After you register for the conference, think about Ms. Hwang’s advice: “Take the opportunity to get to know people there, establish some networking. People at the conference are open to meeting new people.” ATL was named the Fiscal Year 2009 Women-Owned Small Business of the Year at last year’s conference, so Ms. Hwang knows a thing or two about success.
Celebrating National Entrepreneurship Week
November 17, 2010 - Entrepreneurs have rightfully received a lot of praise these days. As innovators, creators, and investors in our economy, entrepreneurs have embodied the American dream in many ways.
This week the Obama Administration is celebrating National Entrepreneurship Week, reminding our Nation that we are committed to supporting the entrepreneurs and small business owners who are building businesses, creating jobs here at home, and powering up our economy. Here at the Department of Energy, our Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is committed to helping those who have invested in our economy. Our office is gearing up for our 12th Annual Small Business Conference & Expo, sponsoring Business Opportunity Sessions (BOS) for certain types of acquisitions, and ensuring that entrepreneurs we work with every day know the resources they need to work with the federal government.
"All Americans can play a role in increasing the prevalence and success of new start-ups," President Obama stated in his Presidential Proclamation for National Entrepreneurship Week. "Business leaders can mentor a budding entrepreneur who has an original idea and the will to execute, but could benefit from the guidance of an experienced owner or operator. Philanthropists can expand entrepreneurship education for ambitious students at under-served schools and community colleges. Universities can accelerate the transition of scientific breakthroughs from the lab to the marketplace. Together, we can help millions of entrepreneurs create the industries and jobs of the 21st century and solve some of the toughest challenges we face as a Nation."
Through our office's initiatives, including mentoring programs and special events, we look forward to continuing to help entrepreneurs tackle challenges and strengthen our economy. We are proud to take part in celebrating our Nation's entrepreneurs, this week and every week.
DOE Announces $30 Million in New Small Business Funding for Clean Energy Technologies
July 15, 2010 - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced yesterday that $30 million in funding from the Recovery Act and FY 2010 budget appropriations will be made available to qualified small businesses to support the commercialization of promising new technologies. Today's funding announcement builds on the Department's existing efforts under the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR) to develop near-term clean energy technologies and support American small businesses that will play an important role in building the clean energy economy of the future. This is the first time DOE has offered Phase III awards under these small business programs. More>
President Obama Issues Proclamation for National Small Business Week
May 24, 2010 – Embracing the success and character of small businesses in the United States, President Obama issued a proclamation for National Small Business Week for the week of May 23-29. While our government cannot guarantee success, President Obama said, it can ensure that entrepreneurs have the foundation they need to move forward in today’s changing economy. More>
DOE Hosts Record Number of Attendees at Atlanta Small Business Conference
Deputy Secretary Poneman - Remarks at DOE's Small Business Conference 2010 from Office of Economic Impact on Vimeo.
May 10, 2010 – DOE is convening its 11th Annual Small Business Conference & Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia from May 10-12, 2010. Drawing more than 1,700 participants, an all-time high for this event, the conference and expo will present information to help small businesses across the country capitalize on Recovery Act Funding, grant opportunities, contracting openings, and subcontracting options.
“We are encouraged by the many success stories of small businesses that we work with every day,” said Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Small businesses are the building blocks of the emerging clean energy economy, and their innovation helps drive the advances of clean technology.”
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) will discuss over $300 million in upcoming funding opportunities with small business leaders who are looking to showcase their strengths and navigate the government contracting process. One-on-one matchmaking sessions and workshops led by DOE procurement analysts and small business specialists will teach small business owners to identify funding opportunities and gain a greater understanding of how to do business with the Department.
The 11th Annual Small Business Conference & Expo also features an Award Luncheon to honor the Fiscal Year 2009 Secretarial Small Business Award recipients.
Celebrating Women-Owned Small Businesses with a "Spotlight on Energy"
March 29, 2010 - In honor of Women's History Month and to support women-owned small businesses interested in working with the Department of Energy, hundreds of small businesses attended a Business Opportunity Session hosted by the Department of Energy's Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce on March 29th at the DOE Forrestal Headquarters in Washington, DC. Several hundred also watched via the live webcast.
Small business program managers from several DOE program offices and labs, including the Office of Fossil Energy, the National Energy Technology Laboratory, the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, the National Nuclear Security Administration, shared upcoming funding opportunities in their office or lab and explained to small businesses the process of working with DOE.
Following a morning of presentations, networking, and questions, the small business program managers held one-on-one matchmaking sessions with individual small businesses in order to discuss specific funding opportunities, answer questions, and provide guidance.
If you missed the event, click here to download presentations or view video from the event.
Since 2000, DOE prime contract funding to women-owned small businesses has increased from $42 million to $276 million in fiscal year 2009, which now comprises 14 percent of all small business funding and nearly one percent of all prime contracts - up from 0.25 percent in 2000.
DOE Announces Nearly $1.4 billion in Conditional Loan Guarantees for BrightSource Energy: Innovative solar energy projects expected to create more than 1,000 jobs
February 22, 2010 - Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced conditional commitments for more than $1.37 billion in loan guarantees under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to BrightSource Energy, Inc. to support the construction and start-up of three utility-scale concentrated solar power plants. The new plants will generate approximately 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity using the company’s innovative, proprietary technology. This would nearly double the existing generation capacity of this type of renewable energy in the U.S. More >
