For the eighth consecutive year, the Department of Defense earned an “A” rating for performance against its small business procurement goals. Released on July 26, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) Annual Scorecard contextualizes the vital role small businesses play in fulfilling the department’s mission.
During a virtual press event announcing the release of the scorecard, Dr William A. LaPlante, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Support, highlighted the contributions of the American workforce and small businesses during fiscal year 2021 along with heads of the agencies of the departments of transportation and homeland security as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
“Small businesses play a vital role in the American economy and are essential to the Defense Department’s mission, enabling us to develop, deliver and sustain critical capabilities for our Warfighter,” LaPlante said. “DoD has met our goal of awarding world-class small business contracts for eight consecutive years. This demonstrates our commitment to maximizing opportunities for small businesses, which increases competition and strengthens our national and economic security ”.
With more than $ 83 billion in bonds directly to small businesses, as well as an additional $ 50 billion subcontracted to small businesses by the DoD’s major major suppliers, the department continues its commitment to the small business defense industrial base.
In particular, the department’s Mentor Protégé Program (MPP), which works with small businesses with larger companies, provides a solid platform for small businesses to grow as valuable contributors to the defense industry base. Over the past five years, MPP has successfully helped hundreds of small businesses fill unique niches and become part of the military supply chain.
The department is also prioritizing the use of procurement technical assistance centers (PTACs) to increase the number of small businesses in the industrial base. Administered by the department’s Office of Small Business Programs, in partnership with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations, the PTAC program helps companies pursue and execute contracts with the DoD, other federal agencies, and early contractors of the government.
In concert with the release of the scorecards, the SBA announced that the Biden-Harris administration has exceeded its federal procurement target for small businesses, allocating more than a quarter, or $ 154.2 billion, of total federal funding for procurement for small businesses. Combined with $ 72 billion in subprime contract targets, this historic spending has supported over one million jobs in the American economy.
To see the department’s scorecard, visit https://www.sba.gov/agency-scorecards/scorecard.html.
