Set-Aside Alert news analysis:

No more triple credit for three certifications?

Bill would limit government’s credits

      Under current rules, when a federal agency awards a contract to a small business with multiple certifications, the agency may claim double, triple or even more credits toward its small business goals.

      Such contracts are counted once as small businesses and may be counted additionally as woman-owned, small disadvantaged, HUBZone or service-disabled veteran-owned, or possibly all of the above.

      But now a lawmaker wants to limit the number of credits that federal agencies can claim for a small business contract that falls into several socioeconomic categories.

      Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-OR, introduced HR 2362, the Assuring Contracting Equity Act of 2017.

      If approved, it would prevent agencies from taking credit for a small business award in more than two categories from the following list: small, small disadvantaged, service-disabled veteran-owned, women-owned or HUBZone-located.

      If the contract is with a firm in the 8(a) Business Development Program, the agency can only take a single credit in the small disadvantaged category.

      The bill also would increase the small business procurement goal to 25%, from 23%, and would raise the goals for small disadvantaged and women-owned firms to 10%, from 5%. It would double the HUBZone and SDVOSB goals to 6%, up from 3%.

      The bill, if approved, likely would reduce the government’s reported achievement. For that reason, and because it is sponsored by a Democrat in a GOP-controlled Congress, its chance of passage may be unlikely, but may improve as it gets attention.

More Information: http://goo.gl/rFGArw

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