Small Businesses Scored Record High in Fed Contracts in Fiscal ’09

Small businesses won a record $96.8 billion in federal prime contracts in 2009, an increase of more than $3 billion from the previous fiscal year, according to the Small Business Administration.

According to SBA’s fourth annual small-business procurement scorecard released last week, this amount represents 21.89 percent of all federal spending, which is an improvement from FY 2008. Additionally, performance in each of the government’s socioeconomic subcategories increased for FY2009.

“Small businesses received a record $96.8 billion in federal contracts in 2009,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “There was an increase in both dollars and contracting share for every small business category. This represents real progress, but not enough, we must reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the 23 percent goal is met and exceeded. Federal contracts awarded to small businesses are a ‘win-win’ – providing small businesses with the opportunity to grow and create jobs, and offering innovative services and essential goods to the government at great value to the taxpayers.”

SBA must report to the president and Congress on achievements by federal agencies and departments against their annual goal to ensure greater accountability. The small business Procurement Scorecard fulfills that requirement by assessing federal achievement in prime contracting and subcontracting to small businesses by the 24 Chief Financial Officers Act agencies. It also measures progress departments are making to ensure small-business opportunities remain an integral part of their acquisition of goods and services to meet mission objectives.

The fourth annual Scorecard gauges how well federal agencies reach their small business and socio-economic prime contracting and subcontracting goals. It also provides accurate and transparent contracting data and reports agency-specific progress. The prime and subcontracting component goals include goals for small businesses, small businesses owned by women, small disadvantaged businesses, service-disabled veteran owned small businesses, and small businesses in located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones.