Set-aside awards to small businesses for information technology decreased by 20% during the second quarter of the calendar year, compared to a year earlier, according to the market research firm Input.

Competitive set-aside contracts accounted for just 2% of total contract dollars awarded in the quarter. Fifteen departments awarded more than $451 million in set-aside competitions to small businesses during that timeframe. The Navy led with 18 set-aside competition awards valued at $226 million.

Input said total IT-related prime contracts soared to more than $23 billion during the second quarter, a 50% increase over the same time last year.

The Office of Personnel Management has awarded five blanket purchase agreements aimed at speeding up processing of requests for security clearances.

The companies will hire as many as 2,000 new people to conduct background investigations, bringing the total number of investigators to around 8,000. An OPM official said the contractors must hire and train new investigators, rather than stealing experienced ones from other contractors or from the government.

The General Accounting Office estimated that the Defense Department alone had a backlog of 188,000 requests for clearances for contractor personnel this spring. (SAA, 5/14)

The FBI has selected 10 small businesses as prime contractors for its Technical Support and Development project.

The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is valued at up to at $42.5 million over five years. It covers a variety of operational information technology support services.

The awards went to McDonald Bradley Inc.; Pragmatics Inc.; Alphainsight Corp.; Comso Inc.; Data Computer Corp. of America; Innovative Management and Technology Approaches Inc.; InfoPro Inc.; Staffing Alternatives Inc.; Glotech Inc.; and Project Performance Corp.

GSA has turned the database over to Global Computer Enterprises (GCE) of Reston, VA. The company is tasked with developing a new system that will produce more reliable data.

Under the old, GSA-run system, a full year’s contracting data cost less than $2,000. GSA’s senior procurement executive, David Drabkin, told the newspaper that new prices are still being negotiated with the contractor, but they won’t be dramatically higher. “I’ve seen reports that somebody claims that it’s going to cost them $35,000,” he said. “That’s crap.”

SBA is considering granting a waiver of the nonmanufacturer rule in five categories:

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing, NAICS code 339920. The notice is FR Doc 04-17436;

Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing, NAICS 335999. FR Doc 04-17146;

Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing, NAICS 333991. FR Doc 04-17147;

Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing, NAICS 334290. FR Doc 04-17148;

Paint and Paint Manufacturing, NAICS 325510. FR Doc 04-17149.

SBA grants waivers when it finds that no small business manufacturers are supplying the class of products to the government. A waiver allows vendors to supply the products of a large domestic manufacturer on a contract set aside for small businesses or 8(a) firms.

Comments are due by August 13. Contact Edith Butler at 202-619-0422 or edith.butler@sba.gov.

Jeffrey H. Butland, SBA regional administrator for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, died of a heart attack August 1 at his home in Cumberland, ME, SBA said. He was 53.

Administrator Hector Barreto said, “Jeff was a valued member of the SBA team, and he was a good friend. He will be missed sorely by all of us.”