Women-Owned Small Business Set-Aside Program: Is It Working?

Transcription

1 Women-Owned Small Business Set-Aside Program: Is It Working? Presented by CohnReznick s Government Contracting Industry Practice Rebecca Kehoe, Esq., Manager, Nicolette Hendricks, Sr. VP, Anna Urman, Small Business Director, Arline Brex, Lead Business Development Specialist

2 PLEASE READ This presentation has been prepared for information purposes and general guidance only and does not constitute professional advice. You should not act upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining specific professional advice. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is made as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and CohnReznick LLP, its members, employees and agents accept no liability, and disclaim all responsibility, for the consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it. This presentation and its content are the property of CohnReznick LLP and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Any unauthorized use of the information herein will be considered a violation of CohnReznick LLP s intellectual property rights. Unless stated otherwise herein, no part of this presentation may be copied, distributed, or published, in whole or in part, without the prior written agreement of CohnReznick LLP. 1

3 WOMAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE PROGRAM BACKGROUND On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a final rule effective February 4, 2011, aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for WOSBs. The WOSB Federal Contract Program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts for eligible WOSBs and EDWOSBs But the story actually began 10 years earlier... 2

4 WOMAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET- ASIDE PROGRAM BACKGROUND 3

5 OUR PANEL Rebecca Kehoe, Manager CohnReznick LLP Nicolette Hendricks, Sr. VP, Organizational Strategies Inc. Owner, Valhalla Holdings LLC Anna Urman, Small Business Director Community Business Partnership Arline Brex, Lead Business Development Specialist U.S. Small Business Administration 4

6 INVOLVEMENT IN THE WOSB SET-ASIDE PROGRAM Arline Brex Lead Business Development Specialist U.S. Small Business Administration 5

7 INVOLVEMENT IN THE WOSB SET-ASIDE PROGRAM 6

8 INVOLVEMENT IN THE WOSB SET-ASIDE PROGRAM Nicolette Hendricks Sr. VP, Organizational Strategies Inc. Owner, Valhalla Holdings LLC 7

9 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 51% owned and controlled by one or more women Primarily managed by one or more women Women must be U.S. citizens Firm must be small under primary NAICS code EDWOSB must demonstrate economic disadvantage per final rule 8

10 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Panel Questions: Are the WOSB requirements too restrictive or not restrictive enough? Are the EDWOSB requirements too restrictive or not restrictive enough? Has SBA made any determinations of ineligibility? Has there been use of 3rd Party Certifiers? 9

11 WOSB/EDWOSB SET-ASIDE PROGRAM Contracting officers may set aside a requirement for WOSBs if: The NAICS code is in an industry in which SBA has designated that WOSBs/EDWOSBs are substantially underrepresented. The contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that two or more WOSBs/EDWOSBs will submit offers. The anticipated award price of the contract does not exceed $6.5 million in the case of manufacturing contracts and $4 million in the case of all other contracts. The contracting officer believes the contract can be awarded at a fair and reasonable price. 10

12 PROCUREMENT SET-ASIDES Panel Questions: Are you seeing Contracting Officers setting aside procurements under the WOSB/EDWOSB Program? What marketing advantages has the Program offered that were not available prior to the Program What can be done to encourage more COs to set-aside more procurements for the Program? Will new SBA Proposed Rule on misrepresentation of size or socioeconomic status have an impact WOSB Program? 11

13 TOP 10 DEPARTMENTS USING WOSB 12

14 TOP 10 PRODUCTS / SERVICES SET ASIDE FOR WOSB 13

15 CONCLUSIONS Is the Woman Owned Small Business Set-Aside Program Working? Or is it too early to tell? What is the perception on the front lines? 14

16 QUESTIONS/COMMENTS 15

17 RESOURCES CohnReznick LLP 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, Suite 1000 Tysons, VA Main: Fax: GovCon360 keeps you abreast of the ever-changing regulatory environment that is Government contracting. From reference materials, like searchable pdf copies of the FAR and DCAM, to our past Lunch and Learn seminar slide decks and thought pieces on industry matters, we ve got it covered. Subscribe to our RSS feed to receive short alerts on recent industry changes. It s always been our job to help our clients maintain a competitive advantage by staying ahead of the curve. This website is an extension of the services we ve been providing for over 35 years by putting useful resources and up-to-date information at your fingertips. 16