Set-Aside Alert exclusive research: 10 best states and 10 worst states for WOSB & EDWOSB set-asides

In some states, women-owned federal contractors are performing on federal “WOSB” and “EDWOSB” set-aside contracts valued at millions of dollars. In other states, awards for such work total as little as $3,000.

Set-Aside Alert combed through federal data to identify the 10 best and 10 worst states as places of performance for Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically-Disadvantaged Women-Owned (EDWOSB) set-asides.

To start, using the Federal Procurement Data System database, Set-Aside Alert identified $139 million in more than 400 WOSB and EDWOSB set-aside contracts expiring in 2015 and beyond.

The WOSB contracts totaled $86 million, and the EDWOSB contracts, $54 million. Many of these contracts are likely to become available for competition once they expire (See stories in 3/6/2015 and 3/20/2015 editions).

The top state listed as “place of performance” for the WOSB and EDWOSB contracts reviewed was Virginia, with $45 million in such contracts expiring in 2015 and beyond. A large chunk of that work stemmed from a series of WOSB contracts totaling more than $20 million awarded by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, located in Alexandria, VA.

Here’s the 10 Best list:

• Virginia, $45 million;
• District of Columbia, $15 million; Missouri, $13 million;
• California, $10 million;
• Maryland, $10 million;
• Texas, $9 million;
• Florida, $5 million;
• Alabama, $5 million;
• Nevada, $4 million; and
• Massachusetts, $2 million.

On the opposite side of the coin were the 10 states with the worst records as places of performance for federal WOSB and EDWOSB set-aside contracts expiring in 2015 and beyond

At the bottom of the list was New Mexico, which currently is the location for only $3,000 in such contracts.

Here’s the 10 Worst list:

• New Mexico, $3,000;
• Idaho, $3,000;
• Oregon, $4,000;
• Wyoming, $4,000;
• Arkansas, $16,000;
• Connecticut, $20,000;
• Michigan, $36,000;
• Puerto Rico, $51,000;
• New Jersey, $68,000; and
• North Dakota, $72,000.

It’s important to note that while WOSB set-asides are considered a helpful tool, billions of dollars in federal contracts are awarded to WOSBs under other types of set-asides or no set-asides.

10 best states and 10 worst states for WOSB & EDWOSB set-asides

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