6 steps for agencies to aid small businesses

As his first official action as administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Joe Jordan released a new memo June 7 intended to improve small business contracting.

Jordan’s memo, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills, gives agency officials six steps to increase contracts for businesses through multiple-award contracts (MACs).

Jordan wrote on the OMBlog June 7 that these tactical steps include using the authorities provided by law to set aside orders under MACs, turning to small businesses for small-dollar awards, and strengthening accountability to meet annual small-business contracting goals.

Jordan and Mills ordered agency officials to:

• Encourage their acquisition workforce, in an agency memo, to consider setting aside orders for small businesses on MACs.
• Think about requiring set-asides under MACs if the agency is not currently meeting its small business goals.
• Modify MACs to provide for set-asides.
• Require that contract documents include details on how officials considered the set-aside tools.
• Give feedback to SBA officials about the agency’s set-aside rule on greater consideration of set-asides on MACs.
• Take advantage of free training from the General Services Administration.