Small federal contractors that currently enjoy automatic set-asides for conference and trade show planning, commercial photography, scientific instruments and other products and services will lose those mandatory preferences as of July 1.

The new rules apply to small businesses that have General Services Administration Multiple-Award Schedules contracts pertaining to specific Special Item Numbers (SINs).

Currently, a number of SINs on the schedules are automatically set aside for small vendors. As of July 1, those SINs will no longer be set aside for small businesses, according to notices appearing in GSA’s eLibrary.

The small vendors still may compete for the contracts, and contracting officers may create set-asides, but the 100% set-asides for specific SINs are being cancelled.

Affected SINs include:

• 541 3 Web-based marketing services;
• 541 4D conference and trade show planning services;
• 541 4E commercial photography services;
• 541 4F commercial art and graphic design services;
• 541 2000 other direct costs.

In addition, the GSA announced that 100% set-asides for 19 SINs under category 66 for scientific equipment and services would no longer be in effect after July 1.

A larger number of SINs may be affected, Julio Cardenas, specialist with ColeyGSA, wrote in a recent blog entry. He advised contractors to check to see if the goods and services they provide are impacted. GSA officials were not immediately available to comment.

More information: ColeyGSA blog entry: http://www.coleygsa.com/blog/?p=856