The Army Materiel Command activated the new Army Contracting Command in a March 13 ceremony at Fort Belvoir, VA. The command was created after reports of fraud and abuse in procurements in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The executive director, Jeffrey Parsons, said the Army must train and develop contracting personnel to execute its contracts responsibly, and that the Army “must be more pure than Ivory soap as even a one percent error equates to $850 million,” the Army News Service reported.

A two-star general will eventually be appointed to head the command.

The Senate has authorized $100 million in additional funding above President Bush’s request for SBA in the 2009 budget blueprint. Small Business Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-MA, said the Senate added funding for increased loan oversight and reduced fees, microloans, contracting assistance, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, veterans outreach programs and technical assistance programs, among others.

The final budget will be determined in appropriations bills.

SBA has chosen 11 cities to participate in the Emerging 200 initiative, a jobs and growth stimulation effort targeting promising inner-city small businesses. The cities are Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, New Orleans, Des Moines and Oakland.

Administrator Steven Preston said, “This innovative initiative is designed to accelerate the growth of companies that are poised for sustained expansion.” The program will focus on training, mentoring and networking for entrepreneurs.

SBA said its Patriot Express Loan program for veterans has passed the $100 million dollar mark after eight months. The agency said more than 1,000 loans have been approved, with an average amount of nearly $101,000.

Patriot Express loans up to $500,000 are available to veterans, military reservists and National Guardsmen and their spouses or widows.